Credit: Submitted
The Bucks County Commissioners are saying goodbye to one of their most beloved employees.
Laura LoBianco, who serves as the county’s Domestic Relations Director, will retire after a 34-year journey with the county, the last 14 of which were spent as director of Domestic Relations. LoBianco rose graciously from receptionist to the helm of the department that today leads all Pennsylvania counties in child support collections per case.
LoBianco, who retires officially on Friday, has helped collect more than $81 million annually on 10,000 support cases for more than 17,000 children over the last 14 years.
Over her tenure, LoBianco has restructured the office, overseen its move to the Justice Center, and implemented numerous innovations and efficiency-driven changes, including:
While in office, she was known for forging an agreement early on with the sheriff’s office to serve domestic relations warrants, prompting a steep reduction in the number of outstanding warrants, which currently stands at fewer than 300; Initiating the Domestic Relations Debit Card Payment Program, which collects more than $650,000 annually; and the First Time Payment Program, which has collected more than $1.6 million since 2007; Creating a Client Services Unit, implementing imaging to digitize records, starting monthly evening office hours and helping transition the Domestic Relations Office to the Pennsylvania Child Support Enforcement System (PACSES); and Improving office effectiveness through training and communications workshops for staff and the public.
“I would be a liar and a fool if I said I did all that by myself,” said LoBianco. “[Domestic relations] is very hard work. It’s very emotional. You’re dealing with people’s money; you’re dealing with their children, so emotions run very high … I have an amazing staff. I have an amazing group of managers.”
LoBianco thanked the county’s judges, court administrators and the commissioners for their cooperation with her office and its work, which, she said, helps ensure that kids were able to have clothes on their backs and participate in after-school activities.
“That’s our number one goal,” she said, “and hopefully after I go, that will continue.”
LoBianco’s successor has not yet been named.
