Salaries set for county officials

BY STACI WILSON

The next slate of county commissioners won’t be seeing an increase in the salary for the elected position.

At a meeting Thursday evening, the commissioners set the rate of pay for county elected positions that are up for election in 2015. The salary amounts will go into effect in January 2016.

County offices on the ballot next year, in addition to the commissioner post, include county register/recorder; treasurer and coroner.

At the Wednesday morning meeting, the commissioners approved a two percent salary increase for non-union employees in the new year.

Insurance contributions for those position will be assessed on a sliding percentage based on employment classifications, ranging from Class 4 employees at 10 percent to Class 1 employees at 25 percent.

The Salary Board set the increase and the insurance cost scale prior to the commissioners’ meeting vote.

The commissioners also approved the 2015 miscellaneous compensation schedule.

Just over $41,000 in Marcellus Legacy Funds will be transferred to the Agricultural Land Preservation Board fund.

The commissioners also approved the county’s share of the Penn State Extension District 4 costs for 2015.
The county’s share is $113,444. The cost is determined each year by Extension and the county commissioners in Bradford, Sullivan, Tioga and Susquehanna counties.

The county is looking to replace the analog cameras at county properties with Security IP cameras. A bid package for upgrade will be put together.

The agreement with Trinity Service Group, Inc. for food service at the county jail was approved. The service – which helps set the menu and determine the foods to be ordered – costs $370 per week.

The commissioners signed a 39 month lease agreement with TOPP Copy for a large format printer for the GIS department at a cost of about $336 per month.

The bid for general excavating and related contracting services was awarded to Ken Rauch Excavating for a two-year period beginning Jan. 1, 2015.

The commissioners opened bids for a standby power generator for the courthouse and county office building. Four bids were received which will be reviewed by the county engineer.

In other business, the commissioners:
*acknowledged the hiring of Gail Benio as Fiscal Assistant in Children and Youth;
*approved the hiring of Kyle Ellsworth as a Correctional Sergeant at the jail;
*approved the hiring of Brenda Landes as Court Liaison Conference Officer;
*appointed Brody Webster to the Conservation District Board of Directors as a Public Director, for a term of Jan. 1, 2015 – Dec. 31, 2018;
*appointed Bill Zick to the Conservation District Board of Directors as a Farmer Director, for a term of Jan. 1, 2015 – Dec. 31, 2018;
*accepted, with regret, the resignation of Adam Diaz from the Economic Development Board.