LAWRENCE COUNTY Commissioners place pact renewals on hold

Commissioners want department and agency heads at meetings to explain their requests.
By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The Lawrence County commissioners said they are considering putting off renewing several contracts until they are sure the process for filling those posts is fair, appropriate and competitive.
At their caucus on Thursday, commissioners said the move is not personal and they hope the individuals involved are not offended by it.
"I'm just not prepared to vote on this," said Commissioner Steve Craig. "I have concerns that we automatically put the same people in these positions time and time again and that the opportunity to pursue [these positions] is not available to other people who might be interested in them, but they aren't even given a chance to apply for them.
Competitive process
"I'm just concerned it hasn't been an open and competitive process."
The discussion, in part, was in response to a request by Lawrence County Mental Health/Mental Retardation to renew five contracts with various professionals, including physicians, who provide services to the county.
Initially, commissioners had intended to include the request on the agenda for their regular public meeting on Tuesday, and vote on it then.
"But it just comes back to the issue of needing more information from our department and agency heads," said Dan Vogler, commissioner chairman.
For the past several weeks, commissioners have said they are concerned that heads of county departments and agencies, along with various row officers, are not providing them with enough timely information to make responsible decisions on items such as renewing contracts and paying bills.
Attendance requested
Commissioners said they would like department heads, if they have requests, to attend commissioners' meetings to fully explain their needs and their reasons for the requests.
"Our department heads submit something for our approval, an expense, a contract or something, and want us to pass these items through automatically. But often they're not even here to fully explain the request to us,' said Commissioner Ed Fosnaught. "I think many of these items are submitted to us at the last minute and are passed through very quickly."
"But I would like, fro each of them from now on, a thorough explanation of what they're asking us to vote for. I don't think that's too much to ask."
Vogler said commissioners cannot force agency heads or row officers to attend the meetings, but they can ask them to do so.