Lackawanna County Democratic Party

The lawyer for Lackawanna County and Commissioner Bill Gaughan says Supreme Court should settle the way to replace ex-commissioner Matt McGloin.

The appeal could delay the replacement of resigned Commissioner Matt McGloin for several more weeks

The ruling clears the way for other county common pleas court judges to replace resigned Commissioner Matt McGloin, but it's unclear if they'll do that before a 30-day period for appealing the ruling passes.

Mid-term departures like Mauri Kelly's rarely happen among county row officers who aren't commissioners or district attorneys

Matt McGloin resigned as a commissioner almost two months ago. A three-judge panel listed to arguments Tuesday on how to replace him by lawyers for the county, commissioners Bill Gaughan and Chris Chermak and the county Democratic Party. The judges did not immediately decide.

With McGloin's replacement still weeks away, judges nudge process ahead, finding that Sacco's interests are adequately represented by the Democratic Party.

Six weeks after Commissioner Matt McGloin resigned, county judges still haven't picked a replacement. Unhappy his suggested replacement was ignored, Commissioner Bill Gaughan wants the judges to start a new selection process that would upend the traditional way of filling commissioner vacancies.

McGloin resigned last month and Gaughan wants to county court of common pleas to run the selection process from start to finish instead of allowing the court to choose from three county Democratic Party-recommended candidates.

County common pleas court judges will decide from among Brenda Sacco, James Baldan and Bob Casey

Party chairman Chris Patrick declines to say if he'll start the party's process again or simply submit the same three names he submitted last week.