SCRANTON, Pa. — The courtroom inside the Lackawanna County Courthouse in Scranton was filled on Tuesday morning.
Republican Chris Chermak and Democrats Bill Gaughan and Matt McGloin were sworn in as the 32nd Board of Commissioners for Lackawanna County.
Chermak was elected to his second term as the minority commissioner.
"It's pretty amazing that four years have gone by so fast, so I'm looking forward to it again. With two new guys coming in along with me, I think we're going to do well. We have a lot of work to do," Commissioner Chermak said.
Commissioners Gaughan and McGloin bring some young blood to the county's leadership. Both men have high hopes for the next generation of Lackawanna County.
"People saw energy," Commissioner McGloin said. "They saw passion, motivation, and I think that was able to re-energize the county, in a way. I really think it's an exciting time in Lackawanna County. I really believe our best days are ahead of us."
"We have a train that's coming here, hopefully, in the next few years, which is going to transform the county. We have a great park system. We have a great arts and culture scene here in downtown Scranton, and throughout the county, so we want to expand upon that," Commissioner Gaughan said.
It may only be day one for this new group leading Lackawanna County, but they agree there are some big things to tackle.
"Straightening out the office of Youth and Family Services, we have to protect our children in Lackawanna County. We want to get that license back. There's a provisional license now, so we want to turn the ship around there and make sure that we are serving our children well. And then the financial condition of the county is really, really bad," Gaughan said.
"Most important is our taxpayer dollars. I want to really look at where we can save and what we can do to protect the hard-earned dollars of everyone who lives here in Lackawanna County," Chermak added.
The commissioners have yet to announce if any leadership changes will be made within the county's departments.