First Posted: 12/21/2009

The Luzerne County Retirement Board voted to stop the $740 per month pension for former county deputy chief clerk William Brace upon acceptance of his guilty plea to charges linked to the ongoing federal corruption probe. The board also authorized the solicitor to research whether Brace’s past pension payments could be recovered.

The board also voted to refund the contributions made by former human resources director Doug Richard and former county commissioner Greg Skrepenak but the checks will be held in escrow until the county receives confirmation that no restitution is owed.

Richards and Skrepenak have also been charged as part of the corruption probe.

All the votes were 3-0.

The board typically has five members, but Skrepenak,  who had been on the board, resigned last Thursday and current member and county deputy controller A.J. Martinelli were not in attendance.