Additional workers get OK for pay raises

Two unfunded requests were turned down.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The salary board approved raises this week for additional Lawrence County employees.
The board has repeatedly come under fire from the public after handing out more than $114,000 in raises last month. Most of those raises had not been budgeted and will be paid through the county's contingency fund.
Most raises approved Wednesday will have to come from each department's own budget, salary board members said.
Two unfunded increases were defeated by the board. Sheriff Perry Quahliero's request for a full-time clerk died after a tie vote on the board. Treasurer Gary Felasco's request to give Chief Deputy Treasurer Cathy Baker a $3,777 raise was not given a second after Felasco made the motion.
The board recessed the meeting to allow members to reconvene if more issues are brought up.
What was OK'd
The following increases or changes were approved:
Domestic Relations Director Larry Troggio's salary went from $43,534.79 to $45,333.12. Money will be taken from other areas of the domestic relations budget to pay the increase.
Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Pat Micco's annual salary increased to $48,800 from $47,143.02. This money will also come from other areas of the juvenile probation budget.
A part-time jury administrator position was eliminated and a full-time secretary II position in the jury commissioner's office was activated at $22,000 per year. The salary board voted down a request by Judge Dominick Motto that the salary be set at $26,000 per year.
Base salary for judicial secretary and courtroom assistant went to $20,500 and $2,500 increases and a 4.1-percent cost-of-living increase went to the county's eight judicial secretaries and courtroom assistants. Court Administrator Michael Occhibone said the increases were budgeted and he had been working on the proposal since April 2005. The positions are not unionized and union workers in similar positions start at $22,000 per year, he said.
Judicial secretary position was changed to confidential secretary to the district court administrator. The base salary was set at $20,500 and the employee was given a $2,500 increase plus the 4.1 percent cost-of-living increase given to other nonunion employees.
Base salary of captains at the county jail was adjusted to $37,000, with incumbents with three or more years getting $39,000 per year. Base rate for record keepers and counselors was set at $24,093, and all part-time jail employees are to receive a 4.1 percent cost-of-living increase. Board members said corrections officers are earning more than captains, and they had trouble finding counselors at the previous pay rate. Commissioner Ed Fosnaught voted no.
A Planner II position paying $32,651 was eliminated and planning supervisor job was created at $38,161 per year. Assistant director's position was eliminated and GIS/transportation supervisor position was created at the same pay rate of $38,161 per year. The planning director's position was eliminated. The previous director was earning about $50,000 per year.
Positions of placement/aftercare officer and intensive probation/diversion officer in juvenile probation were reclassified to probation officer II with an increase of $866 for two employees. The human resources director said the change and increase were the result of an employee grievance.
Salary of assistant public defender Dennis Elisco was increased from $41,500 per year to $44,500 and assistant public defender Darrell Haeberle's pay went up $1,585 to $40,252 annually. Commissioner Steve Craig said the move was made to give some parity in pay with the salaries paid to assistant district attorneys.
cioffi@vindy.com