Sheriff’s office OKs pay freeze

Staff report

WARREN

The 148 employees of the Trumbull County sheriff’s office voted June 3 to take a wage freeze for this year, the third year that employees have seen their wages frozen.

The employees are part of five separate bargaining units. They are deputies, ranking officers, corrections officers, assistant wardens and clerical and maintenance staff.

Don Guarino, chief of operations for the sheriff’s office, said the wage freezes will save the county $810,688 between 2007 and the end of 2010 compared with what the county would have spent if the office got a 3-percent pay raise.

Coupled with the elimination of two sergeant positions, one major and an administrative assistant, reduction of the jail’s inmate population by about 10 per day and other measures, the sheriff’s office has saved the county about $2 million since 2007, Guarino said.

The jail population is around 292 now, compared with 302 in 2009, Guarino said, adding that this was made possible through cooperation with the judges.

Corrections officers earn between $13.52 and $16.55 per hour; deputies earn between $16.83 and $20.61 per hour.

Top wage for sergeants is $23.19 per hour; for lieutenants $25.24 per hour; for assistant wardens $20.56 per hour; and for maintenance workers $15.22 per hour.