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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM - Meeting Minutes - 7-S - 3-16-1972 - SALARYSALARY MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS 1 1 u Mr. Flynn: Mr. Hormell. Mr. Hormell: I believe you have an opinion on record on that question, and I think that every- body has received it and it pointed out that the board is legally constituted. Moved by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Flynn, that the salaries of the following members of the Board for Assessment of Appeals be set as follows, effective January 24, 1972, Thomas Cox $218, 50 bi-weekly Keith Melenyzer $198.00 bi-weekly Joseph Seibert $198.00 bi-weekly Roll call vote taken: Mr. Jones - Yes; Mr. Paluso - No; Mr. Elish - No; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion failed to carry because of tie. Moved by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the meeting adjourn. Meeting adjourned. THE FOREGOING MINUTE READ AND APPROVED: ATTEST: CHIEF CLERK Minute No. 7-S 1972 i.{ ij{ i.{ i�{ ij' J'. J' .L ij{'j:'j{:,{ ij{ i.{ ij{ i.{ ij{.{ Office of the County Commissioners Washington, Pa., March 16, 1972 The Salary Board of the County of Washington met in the Office of the County Commissioners with the following members being present: Commissioners Jones, Paluso and Flynn, and Controller Elish. Also present being: Administrative Assistant Whalen; Solicitor Capano; Assistant Solicitor Hormell; Chief Clerk Murphy; Reporter Budinger of the Observer - Reporter; Reporter Roule of the Monongahela Publishing Company; Reporter Liesch of the Brownsville Telegraph; Jack Merdian of WJPA; and Public Information Officer Huber. Meeting called to order by Chairman and roll call taken: Mr. Jones - Present; Mr. Paluso - Present; Mr. Elish - Present; Mr. Flynn - Present. Chairman asked if there were any corrections, additions, or omissions to Minute No. 6-S, each Commissioner and County Controller having received copies. a.s read. Moved by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Elish, that Minute No. 6-S be approved, 8® SALARY M I~N UTE B.o O K BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYL,.VANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN. JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS Roll call vote taken: Mr, Jones - Yes; Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr, Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. For a matter of record, the following employees are now working for Washington County under the Washington County Public Employment Program: Name: Occi4pa.tion: Richard Stotka Maintenance man Francis Valla Maintenance man Andrew Marish Carpenter Milford Callaway Painter Richard Johnson Painter Louis Behanna Electrician John Logan Draftsman Kenneth Barna Draftsman Francis Martarella Fieldman Carl Spalino Fieldman Robert Niel, Fieldman Carolyn Kokoska Secretary Washington County Home Andrea, Sara Social Worker Teresa Crawford Nurse Remarks: Starting Date: 1-731-72 1-31-72 1-31-72 2-15-72 2-28-72 2-22-72 2-22-72 2-22-72 2=-14-72 2-28-72 3-14-72 3-15-72 2-14-72 1-24-72 Mr, Flynn: The reason for this under this PEP Program - the law requires that these people are sent to us and on our payroll, although they are federal. According to law, we must pro- vide to them the same emoluments that we do for our own people. In other words, for example, like these fieldmen now working on assessments. We have to :allow them mileage when they are out -in the field, the same as you do with other fieldmen. This is what this amounts to. This is for the record to show that they are here and we do provide for them the same emoluments that goes with the position they hold. Mr. Roule: Does that mean that the County picks up their traveling expenses? Mr. Flynn: Only where permitted. Only what we have established now. In other words - for the Controller's sake Teresa Crawford's name is sent over there (I'm just using this for an example) - someone says who's Teresa Crawford, where is she employed at, why, etc., are we required to do this? So, we want these names on record showing them we are meeting the requirements of the Public Employment Program in providing these emoluments. That is all that is necessary. MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT #3: Moved by Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Paluso, Ahat the salary of Elvera D. Barcelona, temporary secretary, replacing Barbara, Traversari the regular secretary for three days (due to the fact of her being sick), be set at $136. 50 bi-weekly. Roll call vote taken: 1 u L Mr. Jones - Yes; Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. SALARY MINUTE BOOK 81 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC. JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS n y Motion carried unanimously. DEPT. OF PARKS & RECREATION: Moved by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the salaries of the following employees of the Department of Parks & Recreation be set as indicated: Name: Vincent A. Fazio, Equipment Maintenance Operator at Minor -- Park (Permanent) Hugh Woodruff, Maintenanceman at Mingo Creek Park, replacing Robert Gricar, who resigned (permanent) Mary Kulp, Outdoor Education Teacher (temporary) Roll call vote taken: Salary: $222, 50 bi-weekly $212. 00 bi-weekly $3. 00 per hour Mr. Jones - Yes; Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Note: Cindy Marsteller, Secretary resigned, effective March 7, 1972. CHILD WELFARE SERVICES: Effective Date: March 20, 1972 March 20, 1972 March 20, 1972 Moved by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the following employees of Child Welfare Services be granted the increment indicated, effective March 9, 1972: Elizabeth Cowden, Caseworker John Patrick, Caseworker Roll call vote taken: Mr, Jones - Yes; Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr, Elish - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. from $9011 annually to $9454 annually from $7772 annually to $8580 annually Moved by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Flynn, that the salaries of the following employees be set as indicated: WASHINGTON CO. HOME & HOSPITAL: Name: Salary: Effective Date: Lorraine Proudfit, Directress $40.00 per day February 21, 1972 of Nurses Rose M. Kutlenios, Graduate Nurse $25.00 per day March 16, 1972 Please Delete: Michael Midla, effective February 28, 1972, due to resignation Wilbur G. Miller, effective March 9, 1972, due to dismissal WASHINGTON CO. HOME FOR AGED WOMEN: Name: Salary: Effective Date: Laura F. Neuman, Part -Time $20.20 per day or March 20, 1972 Beautician $101. 00 bi-weekly 82 SALARY,MINU'TE' BCIOK BOARD ;OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R..FLYNN. JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS *this is being approved on a temporary basis until further study. Note: Nannie Bonner is terminating her employment with the Home for Women on March 31, 1972. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Jones - Yes; Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr, Elish - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Moved by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the salaries of the following employees be approved for payment: Joseph Famularo, for his services as guard at $20. 00 the George Washington Hotel on March 1, 1972, during the Paul Gilly Trial To the following deputies for their services guarding the trial of Paul Gilly on March 1, 1972: Albert Giles `p,'U• vV Rhea Kelly $20. 00 William Kyluck $20.00 To the following deputies for their services guarding the trial of Paul Gilly on March 2, 1972: John Jochynek $20,00 William Kyluck $20. 00 Rhea Kelly $20, 00 John Jochynek, for his services as special deputy $80. 00 on March 3, 6, 7, 8, 1972. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Jones - Yes; Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Note: Nancy Phillips, Clerk -Typist in Sheriff's Office is to be deleted from the Payroll, effective March 10, 1972. JUVENILE DETENTION HOME: Moved by Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Paluso, that a voucher be prepared in the amount of $142, 80 for Daniel Luppino, Detention Home Counselor, who worked a total of 42 Hrs. @ $3. 40 per hour for the dates from March 1, 1972 to March 14, 1972. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Jones - Yes; Mr. Palusd; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. BOARD FOR ASSESSMENT OF APPEALS: Mr. Flynn: There was a serious deadlock on the voting. However, two weeks ago, I believe, Mr. Elish indicated he would like a little more time to familiarize himself with this. I think SALARY MINUTE BOOK 00 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. SEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS we did take a vote and there still was a standoff. However, we did say that we would try to resolve these problems of confronting us at this meeting scheduled today. What's your pleasure, gentlemen? Mr, Jones: Have you ha.d time to look at it, Mr.. Elish? Mr. Elish: I did, I called three adjacent counties. I thought that would probably give me some better light on this problem and it so happened that Eli Corrick from.Beaver County called my office the other day and I had an opportunity to talk to him. He's the County Commissioner down there. He said that in his county, which is a, fourth class county com- parable to ours, that the work is done by the County Commissioners. He said, absolutely not, we do not have a board. To quote him he said "Absolutely not, we do the work ourselves, " Then I called the controller in Westmoreland County. Here again, Westmoreland is a third class county. They have three members of the board. They are also permanent employees o:1 the assessment board and'they do appraising work as well as the appeals work, and the pay runs $10, 000 a year for each. But they are permanent and usually come up from the ranks. They are experienced assessors and appraisers. Mr. Paluso: They do both. Mr. Elish: Well, yes. When they don' t have appeals, they do checking properties. Then I called my fiend over in Cambria County, Bob McCormick, who is the controller there. I talked to his deputy, Mrs. Huber. He said they are in the process of having an appeals board. He said they never ha,d (they never paid anyone salary) one, but they decided to have one and one of the main reasons is that Cole Layer and Trumble has done the re- assessing over. They did it some years a.go and they had to update it. They are spending something like a, half a million dollars more. They originally spent a million. He said they anticipate a great deal of appeals on the new appraisals. I notice we also have them with our county (Cole Layer and Trumble) doing some work. I think eight districts are going to be re- assessed this year for us. I asked him about the salaries and he said they are going to recei-e a salary of $50 per day per member. They have a broker of record, a, real estate broker, and another person on the bbard and they are paying them $50 per diem. Mr. Jones: What class county is that, Mr. Elish? Mr, Elish: Fourth, the same as we are. Now there's two fourth class counties on either side and I didn't call Fayette because Fayette is considerably smaller than we are, in. popula- tion and the problems they have. I assume they don't have a board in Fayette. They never did before. Then, of course, I asked another question from Westmoreland County as to the nature of the board and he said that the board is appointed by the commissioners and I said how do they arrange the appointments and he, said the board just elects the three, but there is a 84 SALARY M FN U T E B 0 Q K BOARD OF COUNTY CO'MMISSI'ONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS member of the minority party in both counties. Mr. Pa,luso: Which minority party is that? , Mr, Elish: Whichever is the minority party. Mr, Flynn: Mr. Elish, what you say is true. We have a letter here from Cambria County, the office of the county commissioners, whereby they state they appoint this board (three man board of appeals). But we also have a letter from Chester County. They have a board in that fourth class county. They had a board in existence for the last eight years. Mr. Elish: Chester? Mr. Flynn: Chester County has a board of appeals. They have ha,d a. board for the past eight years when fourth class counties were permitted to have a board.. Mr. Elish: I don't know. I never even asked the question. Of course, they have had a change in controller too. I have asked them at their controllers meetings and they invariably say they didn't have any. Mr. Flynn: Well, what is your thinking now, Sir? I'm saying this in all sincerity., What is your thinking insofar as this board is concerned, as far as salaries go, Sir? This is our problem confronting us. It was recommended last year that this board receive (not this board but the board then) - the chairman receive $5400, the two other members receive $4900, and with that 5% granted to all other boards, commissions and employees and with the grant of all the elected officials, the chairman would receive with this 5% increase the sum of $5670 yearl- and the members the sum of $5145 yearly. Mr. Paluso: I still think that since we don't have a re -assessment going on and the number of appeals is not that great, that the County Commissioners could handle this themselves. Mr, Flynn: Well, there's a question in my mind whether the entire board of County Commissioners could handle it themselves. The amount of work confronting this majority members of this board of commissioners ,is very voluminous. I can say here without reserva- tion that if I didn't have the assistance of this newly created positipn of the office ;of administra- tion that I could not function. Because this work would he piled over our heads. We have to cope with this situation. I say to you, this board has been in effect f6r nine years and, cer- tainly, Mr. Elish, nobody knows any better than you or I that the intent - a.s I said to you at our regular meeting - for the creation of this board was to divorce it from politics once and for all. You know and I know and I would say those who are associated with politics, that politics did play a very important part when it came to assessment or appeals in this county. Nobody can deny that. Last year in this county we had 300 a.ppeals besides the other work that they do as required of them. As you know from experience, of the years gone by, that one man used to set as an appeal board. Is that you, Sir? One commissioner has done this many a time, which is wrong and I'm sure I would never want to set there by myself and pass P 1 SALARY MINUTE BOOK 85 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC. JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS decision on an appealed filed by any taxpayer of this county. I'm saying for you to get three members to sit down as this. appeal board would be an impossibility. Mr. Elish: Well, I think you could do it. Mr. Hormell wa.s� solicitor for the commissioners at that time. I think he will substantiate this: that the commissioners at that time had such a huge amount of appeals that they devoted primarily their whole duties as commissioners pri- marily to hear appeals and at that time I thought that, certainly,• there should be some other things. Some other way to handle. Of course, we were in the process of re -assessing and they did re -assess. . Unfortunately, with their having the three commissioners on the board it compounded our troubles instead of solving. And then we had the board appointed. It took off the relief of the early years when you had quite a number of appeals to, help ease out the burden that the commissioners ha,d. But I was feeling that through the years now, probably, the thing has eased off, But I suppose like everything else, maybe you are going to have to have another assessment in the county too, as Cambria. County is doing. Mr. Flynn: May I interrupt you at this point? We were under court order if you recall. Mr, Elish: Yes, I remember. Mr. Jones: If you remember, you should know this much better than I, Mr. Elish, You have been here many, many years and you realize your work load in your office is getting much greater than when you first took office. I've only been here a short time and the work I see is increasing day by day. We do have a, great work load and are only trying to do.a good job. We have to appoint people to help us. Mr. Paluso: Three hundred hearings, twenty hearings a day would take fifteen days a year if you only did twenty a day. A little over one day a month. Mr. Jones: I'm not only talking about hearings. I'm talking about our workload. Mr. Paluso: I'm well aware of that, but I'm still saying that this would only amount to one day a month. I think, Mr. Flynn, it sounded a, little contradictory to me that this ha,s been removed from politics, but the whole way the board was appointed and everything smacks of nothing but politics. Mr. Flynn: I was talking about decisions rendered by the board. At no time, to the best of my knowledge, has any member of this board of commissioners or previous boards exercised their political authority and try to influence a, decision made by this board. They don't just walk in and have a meeting, there's .a lot of work related to this, prior to having a hearing. You don't just walk in, sit down and have a, hearing and just discuss it. There's quite a. lot of work involved in this. Mr. Paluso: I'm prepared to do one third of it. Mr, Flynn: Well, I'm glad to hear you say that. From my information I've had, you've already notified one of our secretaries you don't want appointments on Mondays and 86 SALARY -MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, CiOMMISSIORERS at this point you haven't been here on Fridays. If you do arrive you get here late in the afternoon. So, I don't know when you are going to do this work. Mr, Paluso: That's kind of a stupid statement because it doesn't happen to be true. For one thing, I do have control, I think not having a, secretary at my disposal, I think can tell them when I want appointments with people and when I don't without any comments from you or any innuendoes. It so happens I.had other stops concerning county business this last Friday morn- ing to take care of prior to coming here which is also my.perogative without any innuendoes or comments from you. I think you better check your facts a little closer. . Mr. Flynn: Well, the fact remains the responsibility isn't yours, The responsibility is the majority commissioners Mr. Palus,o: Which smacks of politics as I stated. Mr, Flynn: Well, I don't know if it smacks of politics. That's the way the law was written that's the way its drafted, and that's the way we, are going to continue to operate until such time as they, change the constitution, the fourth class county code, we are going to continue to operate this way. Mr. Palu,so: That's your opinion of the way the law reads, its not mine. Mr. Elish: The ideal situation could be what Westmoreland and Allegheny County have - where the board is appointed by the commissioners but come from the ranks and are under civil service, I understand. Then you completely remove it from any.politica.l influence. But we don't have this. You don't have it in a fourth class county. You can't afford to pay $10, 000 - $12, 000 for the three members of the board that are permanent members. Mr, Hormell: You are not permitted to have it in a fourth cla.ss.county. The third class county code. is entirely different. Mr, Elish: This would be the ideal situation. We don't.ha.ve it. My.suggestion would be that I think Cambria County's approach is very sensible. I think that we should.have this board and pay them a per diem of anywhere from $50 - $60 a day. They are going to have some other appeals with Cole Layer and Trumble doing some work. Mr. Flynn: They are in the process of doing it right now for this county. Once again for the record - the Chairman recommends that we pay this board - the Chairman the sum of $5670 annually and the other members the sum of $ 5145 annually, Is there a motion to that effect? Moved by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Flynn, .that the salaries of the Board for Assessment of Appeals be set as follows: Chairman $5670 annually Two other members $5145 •annually Remarks: Mr, Flynn: Under remarks, I want the records to show that this board was created on E J SALARY MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC. JOHN MAZZA, COMJrI SSIONERS September 1, 1963. I further want this record to show that on January 30, 1964, a, new board was appointed by the then board of commissioners. Mr. Paluso: By the majority members. Are you talking about this year? Mr. Flynn: I'm talking about 1964. Mr. Paluso: Okay, excuse me. Mr. Flynn: On January 30, 1964 a new board was appointed by the then board of County Commissioners. At al .Salary Board Meeting on February 13, 1964 the ,vote for this board was unanimous. Now, on January 2, 1968, the records show that at a re -organization meeting; a, board was appointed by the then board of County Commissioners and at a Salary Board Meeting, not only was the vote unanimous to pay the salaries, but also the vote was cast. unanimous to grant increases to those members, I might say to you, Mr. Elish, that in 1963 the salary of the Chairman of the Board at that time was $6500 and the salary of the members of that board in 1963 was $6000.. So, the reason I bring this up - I would just like the records to show that sometimes we are not very consistent. Mr. Elish: Well, I pointed out, Mr. Chairman, that at that time we had a tremendous problen. I'm well aware of what went through. We had, I would say, 10, 000 - 15, 000 appeals and the board did a, good job. But, I think that your work load has now absolutely decreased 90% since that time. If you will look further, I don't think I voted for it in 1970 or 1971. Mr. Flynn: Yes, you did, Mr. Elish: No, I didn't. I didn't vote for the last two meetings. Mr. Flynn: You can,check the records of the Salary Board Minutes. That's where I found this. I found this right in the Salary Board Minutes. Let me point again - we appointed this board in September. In other words, this board only functioned for three months (that's prior to my arrival on the scene). We know that they handled 13, 300 appeal hearings in 1964, .but we have the records, we know what it was. Mr. Elish: But, we did have considerably more than we do now. Mr. Flynn: We never had 15, 000. Mr. Capano: Between 6100 and 6200. Mr. Flynn: There's where your problems come in. Mr. Hormell: What did you have in 1968? Mr. Flynn: I couldn't answer that off hand. Mr. Hormell: Is it about what it is now? Mr. Flynn: About average. Mr. Capano: More or less the average has been running 300 or better. . Mr. Flynn: Any further remarks? $8 SAL.ARI ',MINUTE,BoDK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC,,JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS Roll call vote taken: Mr. Jones - Yes; Mr. Pa.luso - Mr. Elish - No; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion failed to carry because of tie. Mr. Flynn: All right, Gentlemen, we are at a standstill, the Chairman directs our legal department to prepare the necessary papers and to take the Controller into Court to let them adjudicate this case. We have the right to appoint and he emits this. Mr. Elish: I want to make a motion that we pay the chairman $60 per day and the other two members $50 at the hearings. Now this is my motion. Mr. Flynn: Well, I think you are exceeding your authority as Controller coming in here and we make appointments and you are going to establish the salaries for them. You have no right to do that. Mr. Elish: I am a member of the board, am I not Mr. Flynn: That is true. You have the right, but we are trying to be consistent. Mr, Elish: How? We are a.11 equals on the board. Mr, Flynn: That is right. Mr. Elish: We can do whatever it is that has to be done by the majority of the board. I make a motion., if you don't want to support it, its perfectly all right. Mr. Flynn: Strike my instructions from the record. Go ahead, Mr. Elish. Moved by Mr. Elish, that the Chairman of the Board for Assessment of Appeals be paid $60 per diem and the two other members $50 per diem, when they have hearings. Motion lost for want of a, second. Mr. Flynn: Now, Gentlemen of the legal branch here - It is your instructions to draw the necessary papers and lets have them adjudicate this once and for all, just how we go about paying these people and proceed forthwith. CONTROLLER'`S OFFICE: Moved by Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Pa,luso, that the salary of Denice. Cecc:. temporary employee in the Controller's Office (to assist with completion of Controller's. Report and Tax Statements from Treasurer's Office) be set at $136. 50 bi-weekly, effective March 20, 1972. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Jones - No; Mr. Pa.luso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Flynn - No. Motion failed to carry because of tie. 1 Note: Mr. Flynn would like time to make an investigation of this situation.