Interview with applicants of the Republican Election Commission

Four more Republicans interested in a vacancy in the Lucerne County Election Commission completed public interviews at the District Court building in Wilkes-Barre on Monday night.

Two citizens have already been on the qualification list due to past interviews, bringing the total to six.

The county council is scheduled to take place Tuesday night.

Residents interviewed Monday: James F. Mangan Jr. of Exeter; Roxana Arregin of West Pitston; Paul Defaba of Wilkes-Barre; and Vivian Kreidler-Lichina, from the town of Neskopets.

Already on the list of contenders were a resident of West Pitston Candice Chilek and a resident of Slocum Richard Nardon, a former member of the Electoral Council.

The Civic Council of Volunteers monitors the election, decides on the ballots and records the votes and approves the election results.

Under the county’s self-government charter, the council must have four members appointed by the council (two Republicans and two Democrats), and these four then elect a chairman of any affiliation. Democrat Denise Williams is chairing and working alongside council-appointed Democrats Audrey Serniak and Danny Scram and Republican Alice Fusara.

Some information about the applicants interviewed on Monday:

• Manganese, who has a broad career in corporate sales, said he applied because he had seen the number of people frustrated with the vote grow over the past decade to such an extent that they no longer participate in important law.

He hoped working on the council would allow him to work with the election bureau to boost credibility and make constituency voters feel less powerless, he said.

Manganese also said he would monitor compliance with all laws, regardless of whether he personally agrees with those laws.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the University of Marywood.

• Arregin, a retired accountant from Tucson, Arizona, said she moved to Pennsylvania four years ago to get a job with her husband.

She said she applied for a seat on the election commission to serve the community, and because she believes safe and secure elections are very important for all registered voters.

Arregin said she is currently volunteering at the Geisinger Health System Orthopedic Clinic and Cancer Center.

She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

• DeFabo is a realtor and previously engaged in business, owned and operated some franchises.

He served on the constituency election commission from 2014 to 2018 and said the experience prepared him to take the seat.

DeFabo said he sees “what is happening in the country and the county” with the election, and believes it can change the situation.

He has completed several college courses and has also expressed interest in being appointed to a number of other county councils.

• Kreidler-Lichina said she had applied for a seat on the election commission because she had become more involved in the Republican committee and wanted to restore public confidence in the vote.

She stressed the need for fair and free elections and identified the problem of ballot boxes.

Kreidler-Lichina graduated from four years of college and has sufficient credit to earn a degree in general studies.

As mentioned earlier, Nardon is a business consulting operator and pilot fully retired after more than 40 years of work in human resource management, labor relations and general operations management. He served on the election commission from March to December last year. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Wilkes University.

Chilek is a housewife who has also worked in administrative support, as a teacher in a private school and as a restaurant owner / operator. She received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Wilkes University and completed an additional dissertation.

The council meeting Tuesday begins at 6 p.m. in the District Court building on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions on remote attendance of the meeting are available at the link to the meeting on the Internet at luzernecounty.org.