Counties to share employee

The state is contributing $200,000 to pay the salary.

By LAURE CIOFFI

VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Lawrence County commissioners are planning to share an employee with a neighboring county.

Commissioners talked Thursday about an intergovernmental agreement with Beaver County to hire an environmental planner.

Amy McKinney, the Lawrence County planning director, said most of the salary would be covered by state grants for the first five years of the eight-year agreement with Beaver County.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and National Resources and the Department of Community and Economic Development have each promised $100,000.

The new person’s estimated $40,000 annual salary would be covered completely by grants in the first year, and each county would gradually contribute to it. She said both counties would share in the person’s health benefits package, which is not covered by the grant.

“This will be the first [shared position] in the state, and the state is very excited about it,” McKinney said.

The person would work 20 hours each week in both counties and be responsible for environmental planning including work on Pennsylvania Greenways initiatives — this involves land conservation — and trails planning.

Commissioner Steve Craig commended McKinney on the plan to share the employee. He said she has asked for additional help in the office and commissioners have instructed McKinney to find funding for it.

McKinney said they hope to have the new person in place by next year.

cioffi@vindy.com