Friday, September 25, 2009
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Lawrence County commissioners plan to close the courthouse Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks to cut personnel costs and avoid a year-end deficit.
Commission Chairman Steve Craig said Thursday this is the proposal that has come out of executive sessions with department heads and officeholders and will be formally announced today at a special meeting set for 10 a.m. at the courthouse.
Craig said things could still change by this morning’s meeting if any problems are discovered with the plan. But if it goes forward, Craig said the plan would not only save personnel costs, but also heating costs because each shutdown would have the building on “hibernation” for nine consecutive days.
Craig also said the county has received a greater response than expected to its resolution allowing employees to take voluntary unpaid furlough days. He said several employees have expressed interest in furloughs of three to six months. He said the details are being worked out.
He listed several other cost savings that are being put into effect, including a freeze on raises in 2010 for nonunion and management personnel.
And when the state budget is finally passed, he said, commissioners have decided they “won’t spread the pain around.” If there are cuts made in a state-funded office, that office will have to cut its operations by that percentage. There are also travel restrictions in place for employees, and he said that commissioners “have never taken” reimbursement for in-county travel.
Commissioners have begun preparing the 2010 budget, but Craig said they still do not know if they will have to impose a tax increase. He said the picture will be clearer when the state budget is finally passed and the county knows how deep the cuts are.
Also, Controller David Gettings reported that a member of Laborers Union Local 964 has filed an unfair-labor- practice grievance against him with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board for trying to force about 40 employees not receiving their paychecks by direct deposit to do so.
Gettings said he notified employees they will be charged $10 per pay if they are not on direct deposit. He said he wants to impose the fee because there are extra labor costs involved with handling paper paychecks.