MAHONING COUNTY Austintown records show payroll shrunk

The lowest-paid township employee earned $45.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Unlike some local communities, Austintown's highest-paid employee last year wasn't its top administrator, nor was he a police officer or firefighter who made tens of thousands of dollars in overtime.
Instead, township records show that Austintown's highest-paid employee was the superintendent of its park and road departments, Mike Bertilacci, who was paid $74,029.
That's about $5,000 more than the second highest-paid employee, township Administrator Michael Dockry.
Records show that the township paid officials and employees a total of $4.9 million in salaries and $200,751 in overtime in 2003, which is about $250,000 less than the township's total payroll in 2002.
About $29,500 in salaries and $16,000 in overtime was reimbursed to the township last year for its employees' work with the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force.
Unused sick time
Bertilacci said the only reason he was the highest-paid employee was because he was paid about $10,000 for accumulated unused sick time. He said he asked to be paid for his unused sick time because he is expecting to retire July 31.
"Without that, [my salary] would be the same as the police chief and fire chief," Bertilacci said. "It's somewhat misleading."
Township records show that Fire Chief Andrew Frost was paid $65,991 in 2003, and Police Chief Gordon Ellis' salary was $62,414.
Department heads and administrators are not paid overtime. The township employee paid the most overtime in 2003 was firefighter Joseph Garcia, who received $8,759. Firefighter David Schertzer Jr. was paid the second-most overtime, $8,676.
A total of $80,723 was paid in overtime for fire department employees, the most for any township department. Road department employees were paid the second-most in overtime -- $45,662, while police department employees were paid the third-most -- $42,129.
Police department employees received $2.16 million in regular wages, the most for any township department; fire department employees the second highest, $1.16 million; and road department employees the third highest, $685,685.
Who earned least
The township employee who earned the least in 2003 was Gene Benyo, an alternate member of the zoning commission. Benyo, who has since become a full member of the commission, was paid $45. Zoning department employees, which include members of the zoning commission and board of zoning appeals, also were paid the least in wages -- a total of $91,997.
Township officials said the total payroll in the township decreased about 5 percent last year because township trustees laid off 17 employees and chose not replace nine employees who retired, were fired or quit. The staff cuts were needed to save money, trustees said.
Deficit last year
The township ended last year with a $412,000 deficit because of increases in the cost of insurance, workers' compensation and wages, and decreases in revenue. It also was still feeling the financial effects of an unexpected $460,000 tax refund it had to pay to Phar-Mor in late 2002.
Township Clerk Michael Kurish has predicted the township will have a $300,000 carryover at the end of this year, in part because the layoffs and staff changes helped save money last year. In the last few months, trustees have re-hired two police officers, four part-time firefighters, a full-time police juvenile diversion caseworker and a part-time juvenile diversion caseworker who had been laid off. The juvenile diversion employees were re-hired using money from a grant.
"Our budgetary problems have been somewhat absorbed by layoffs and by attrition," Kurish said.
Township police officers, dispatchers and full- and part-time firefighters are slated to receive 3 percent raises this year under their union contracts. Trustees also are negotiating contracts that may include raises for the township secretaries and road and park departments.
hill@vindy.com