LAWRENCE COUNTY Officials work to hire warden

The former warden will not be working for the county sheriff's office.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County officials hope to have a new county jail warden on the job by February.
Brian Burick, county prison board president, said at a board meeting Wednesday that applications for the job are due Dec. 2 and interviews should start soon after.
Deputy Warden Norman Micco will remain as acting warden until a permanent warden is hired. Micco took over on Oct. 19 after Warden William Hall abruptly resigned for personal reasons.
Rejected suggestion
Prison board members rejected the suggestion that they bring in a state prison official to run the jail until a permanent warden is named. Prison board members said they believe it would be too costly. The county would be required to pay the state official's salary, benefits and expenses, costing more than $5,000 per month.
Prison board members also rejected Micco's request that his position as deputy warden be temporarily filled by another person while he is acting warden.
"We don't have a lot of money to throw around right now," Commissioner Ed Fosnaught said.
Accepted resignation
Board members also officially accepted Hall's letter of resignation. Sheriff Robert Clark noted that Hall will not work as a deputy for the sheriff's department.
Clark would not comment after the meeting on whether he offered Hall a job after Hall resigned as warden. There have been media reports that Hall would be working for the sheriff once the former warden is off the county payroll. He is still being compensated for unused sick and vacation time.
Burick said after the meeting that the prison board believes it is inappropriate for Hall to be hired in any county department after abruptly resigning as warden.
The board also agreed to raise Micco's pay to the warden's salary of $46,162.22 per year while he is performing the job duties.