Lackawanna County has appointed Jenna Strzelecki as its next Human Resources Director, selecting a municipal administrator whose experience ranges from human resources oversight to major systems rollouts in city government. The hire, approved this week, immediately drew praise from two county commissioners while prompting sharp criticism from another, who called the process rushed and politically motivated.
Strzelecki currently serves as Business Administrator for the City of Pittston, where she oversees daily municipal operations, human resources functions, procurement, contract management, policy development, and key financial processes. She began working for Pittston in 2022 as Marketing and Events Coordinator.
Commissioners Brenda Sacco and Chris Chermak supported the appointment, emphasizing the need to fill a role that has been vacant since September.
“Lackawanna County has been without an HR Director since September 2025, and it is an integral role that needed to be filled as soon as possible,” Sacco said in a written response to questions about the hire. She added that Strzelecki applied in August and was “the most qualified candidate.”
Sacco also disputed claims that the process involved only a single interview, stating that five applicants were interviewed and that incoming Commissioner Thom Welby participated in discussions about the selection. “I am thrilled that someone with Jenna’s experience and expertise will be joining Lackawanna County, and I have complete confidence in her abilities to make Lackawanna County a better place to work,” Sacco said.
But Commissioner Matt Gaughan blasted the decision, arguing that the appointment was pushed through hastily by a soon-to-depart majority. He said the county received more than 30 applications for the position and criticized Sacco and Chermak for what he described as a “one-interview, hand-picked, last-minute appointment.”
“What Commissioner Brenda Sacco and Commissioner Chris Chermak did today is the definition of backroom politics,” Gaughan said. “This wasn’t a hiring process. It was backroom politics at its finest.”
Gaughan said he was never provided Strzelecki’s résumé and was not made part of any interview, calling the move “a blatant slap in the face” to both himself and Welby, who takes office in the coming weeks. He argued that long-term appointments should not be finalized by officials nearing the end of their terms.
“No ethical government throws out dozens of qualified applicants to push through one politically connected candidate at the last minute,” Gaughan said. “Lackawanna County deserves professionalism, transparency, and integrity — not political patronage.”
Sacco responded that she could not confirm whether Gaughan received Strzelecki’s résumé but maintained that the process was legitimate and involved multiple participants.
Despite the political tension surrounding the appointment, Strzelecki is expected to assume the HR Director role as the county enters a period of leadership transition. Her responsibilities will include modernizing HR functions, stabilizing a department that has been vacant for months, and helping guide employee policy under an incoming county administration.