HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM - Meeting Minutes - 35-S - 4-26-1973 - SALARY�M ,R'' ;M I�N �T B-:®0K
BOARD OF COUNTY, COMr\41SStONERS WASHINGTON +COUNITY, PENNSYLVi NJAK
MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEYEC, JOt4N MAYZ+A, COMM1+800ASIRW
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Moved by Mr. Debreczeni, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the salaries of the following
employees, re: Yablonski Trial in Erie - be approved for payment:
Paula Teagarden, Matron, March 27-April 7, 1973 (12 days)
Milan Vlanich, Guard Duty,
Eugene Muscatell, Guard Duty,
Bonnie Pilkington, Special Matron,
Peter Polites, Special Deputy Sheriff,
Total
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Debreczeni - Yes; Mr. Paluso - Yes;
Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
;NOTE: This will be changed to the Erie Trial at a lafierdat°e. )
Motion carried unanimously.
Moved by Mr. Elish that the meeting adjourn.
Meeting adjourned.
THE FOREGOING MINUTE READ AND APPROVED:
ATTEST:
CHIEF CLERK
J. 1973
$3 60.00
30.00
30.00
122.60
120.00
$662. 60
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Minute No. 35-S
Office of the County Commissioners
�, 6
Washington, Pa., April 1-6, 1973
The Salary Board of the County of Washington met in the Office of the County
Commissioners with the following members being present: Commissioners Jones and
Paluso, and Controller Elish. Absent being: Commissioner Flynn. Also present being:
Administrative Assistant Whalen; Solicitor Hormell; Assistant Solicitor Gilmore; Judge
Gladden; Abraham Nasin of the Controller's Office; Frank C. Roney, Solicitor for the
Controller's Office; Earl Bugaile of WKEG; June Lilley of The Dailey Notes; Reporter Bob
Robertson of The Observer -Reporter; and Helen Miller of The League of Women Voters.
Meeting called to order by Acting Chairman and roll call taken:
Mr. Jones - Present; Mr. Paluso - Present;
Mr. Elish - Present; Mr. Flynn - Absent.
Acting Chairman asked if there were any corrections, additions, or omissions
to Minute No. 34-S, each Commissioner and County Controller having received copies.
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that Minute No. 34-S be
approved, as read.
212 SALARY MINUTE -BOOK
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
MICHAEL R. FLYNN. JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS
571
COURTS:
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried unanimously.
Moved by Judge Gladden, seconded by Mr. Paluso, that the salary of Thomas
Mears, Court Duty Officer, be set at $5, 694. 00 annually, effective March 26, 1973. This
is the same salary that Mr. Brovey was receiving. This is a result of an oversight on the
part of the Courts.
Roll call vote taken:
Judge Gladden - Yes; Mr. Paluso - Yes;
Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried unanimously.
Controller Elish asked what should be done as far as salary for the two weeks
Mr. Brovey was in "Limbo", riot knowing what his status was, but yet reporting to work.
Mr. Hormell stated that he thought that nothing should be done on this matter until the Salary
Board and the Court en banc could meet, as per the motion of Mr. Paluso.
Judge Gladden left the meeting.
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the following items in the
Magisterial Districts indicated be approved:
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT #3:
Pamela Olson worked one extra day this pay period.
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT # 8:
Albina Belsenti replaced regular secretary, Eleanore Lutes, one day due to check-up on
April 11, 1973.
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried unanimously.
CHILD WELFARE SERVICES:
For a matter of record: Resignation of Deborah A. Day, Caseworker, effec-
tive May 25, 1973.
MEN'S HOME:
Moved by Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Paluso, that Frank J. Jones, be
transferred from the Office of Weights & Measures to the Men's Home, effective April 17,
1973 at $2. 00 per hour.
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
1
1
Motion carried unanimously.
For a matter of record: Resignation of Sandra L. Rupani, effective April 16, 1973.
SALARY MINUTE BOOK 213
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. B£YEC. JOHN MAZZA, COF*M{SSiONERS
1
1
WOMEN'S HOME:
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the salaries of the following
employees of the Women's Home be set as indicated:
Name:
Ethel Tustin, Nurses Aide
( Permanent)
Mazella Cauthen, Nurses Aide
(Permanent)
Debra Proudfit, Housekeeper
( Permanent)
Roll call vote taken:
Salary:
$17. 20 per day or
$172. 00 bi-weekly
$17. 20 per day or
$172. 00 bi-weekly
$16. 00 per day or
$160. 00 bi-weekly
Effective Date:
April_ 23,• 1973
April23, 1973
April 16, 1973
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried unanimously.
For a matter of record:
Dismissal of Viola Uran, effective April 20, 1973.
Resignation of Mary Daugherty, Cook, effective April 20, 1973.
JUVENILE DETENTION HOME: -
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that a voucher be prepared in
the amount of $137. 70 for Daniel Luppino, Detention Home Counselor, who worked a total of
40 z hours @ 3.40 per hour, for the dates from April 11, 1973 - April 24, 1973.
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried unanimously.
WEIGHTS & MEASURES:
Commissioner Paluso read a letter from George Messerotes under date of
April 23, 1973, describing the various duties and importances of his office. Mr. Paluso
thought from the contents of this letter that Mr. Messerotes was asking for salary and
status as a bureau head.
TAX CLAIM BUREAU:
Moved by Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Paluso, that the employees who were
dismissed from the Tax Assessment Office be recalled, according to a seniority basis,
to be used astemporary employees.
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - No.
Motion carried.
214 SALARY MINUTE B❑❑K
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
MICHAEL R. FLYNN. JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS
TAX ASSESSMENT OFFICE:
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the salary of David
Koenig, Draftsman, be changed from $202. 00 bi-weekly to $222. 50 bi-weekly, effective
April 30, 1973, after serving three months probationary period.
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Elish brought it to the attentic)n of the Board that a member of the
Board of Assessment of Appeals, Keith Melenyzer, bid and bought county properties and
that this was in violation of Section 1806 of the County Code. Mr. Elish made reference to
a list of properties and also to an opinion prepared by his Solicitor, Mr. Roney, on the
above subject.
Mr. Jones: Do you have any comments on this, Mr. Hormell? I am not familiar with this
section.
Mr. Hormell: No, it comes as a complete surprise to me. I would like the opportunity to
review all of the matters and the opinion of Mr. Roney, and I will come up with an opinion
on the matter.
Moved by -Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Paluso, that Keith Melenyzer be
dismissed from the Board for Assessment of Appeals, as of now.
0
(Mr. Paluso took time to read the above -mentioned opinion)
Mr. Hormell: I think the motion is out of order for two reasons. First of all, there is
nothing on the agenda. Mr. Elish brings it in here, and I suspect that reason for bringing
it in here is a political motivation. Secondly, the man was appointed for a term as provided
by the statute, and you cannot dismiss him without giving him an opportunity to answer the
allegations and to check into the opinion of your solicitor. I request that the Chairman
refuse to accept the motion because it is out of order.
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the above motion is
in order.
Mr. Jones: Gentlemen. We know we have an agenda, Mr. Paluso, that we try to follow on
the Salary Board. Now, this was not on it. It has nothing to do with salary and I think the
motion is out of order until we get a legal opinion on this.
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the above -mentioned
matter concerning Keith Melenyzer be placed on the agenda now.
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that we amend the agenda to
include the subject of the Tax Appeal Board and the questions brought up by Mr. Elish.
Mr. Jones: I refuse to accept it. I don't want to vote myself.
Mr. Hormell: They can't vote unless you accept it; and furthermore, I want the record to
SALARY MINUTE BOOK Aw-ktj
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEYEC. JOHN MAZYA, COMMISSIONERS
state this: that I intend to look into this thing in the most minute detail and most specifically
to look into the motivation of Mr. Elfish in doing it; and if I find that there is any kind of
chicanery on the part of Mr. Elish, you can rest assured that you will be sued.
Mr. Jones: Mr. Elish, until we can get our attorney to set down and look over the thing,
that is the way it lies here; until we get a legal opinion.
Mr. Paluso: What are the rules to amend the agenda?
Mr. Hormell: The power to formulate is the power to change at any time.
Mr. Elish: I want Mr. Roney's version of this.
Mr. Roney: They made the ruling that you could move to amend the agenda to include a
subject which you want to bring up. So then you vote on it.
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that the agenda be amended to
place this matter on the agenda for discussion and action if desired.
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - No.
Motion carried.
Mr. Paluso: I would like it noted in the record that Mr. Melenyzer is a member of the Board
although the Code states that one of the members must be from the other party. In other
words, both major parties must be represented, but Mr. Melenyzer was not placed on the
Assessment Board of Appeals by the minority party commissioner. He was denied that
right when this Board was formulated. He does not represent me on this Board, and this
carries back for about a year and a half. I would not -be adverse to appointing my own
gentleman on that Board at any time. That man is acting as a representative of the minority
party; and he should be in all fairness and justness appointed by the minority commissioner
and not by the majority commissioners already appointing the other two members of that
board. This is exactly the way this Board is formulated. If you would like to have him dis-
missed, Mr. Elish, my reasons may be different from whatever your reasons are, but he
does not represent me on that Board; and I have objected to that for a year and a half.
Mr. Elish: I voted to appoint him, and I'm rescinding that appointment. I'say he should.be
dismissed.
Mr. Jones: I think we are being a little inconsistent in what we are trying to do.
Mr. Paluso: Maybe you are, but I'm not.
Mr. Jones: You just voted one way, now you are turning around and voting the other way.
Mr. Paluso: Voted what way? I voted to have that put on the agenda, and it's being dis-
cussed now.
Mr. Jones: You said the majority of the Board voted on this, and it was passed and he was
appointed.
Mr. Paluso: The majority Democratic commissioners appointed all three members in
216 SALARY MINUTE BOOK
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS
violation, morally and in all fairness, to the rest of the people in this County. It specifically
states in the County Code that the minority party will be represented and that means if I
don't set on the Board, my representative sits on the Board, not a representative in all
three members of the majority commissioners regardless of who they are. If you want him
dismissed, I will vote for him to be dismissed because I still contend I should have my
appointment on that Board. I do not like anyone acting in my stead on any Board that I didn't
even have the privilege of appointing.
Moved by Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Paluso, upon instruction of Frank C.
Roney, Solicitor for the Controller's Office, this man, Keith Melenyzer, is in violation of
the County Code; and he should be taken off now and if he can prove otherwise to me, I will
consider it.
Mr. Hormell: I want the records to show why, the motion is out of order. The motion is out
of order because this is a Salary Board meeting; and at the Salary Board Meeting the juris-
diction of this Board is confined to the number and compensation of employees. The power
of appointments vests in the Commissioners. You did not vote to appoint this man. You
voted to approve his salary. If this motion carries, Mr. Elish could come in here at any
time and move that any, employee be dismissed for any reason that he thought necessary
and that is a usurpation of power which you don't have. That belongs to the Commissioners.
The power of appointment is a power of the Commissioners. If you want to suspend his
salary, that's something else again. You can do that. That is within your jurisdiction.
(Further discussion between Mr. Paluso and Mr. Hormell)
Mr. Paluso: You'are ruling all Salary Board and all employees employed by this County
since January 1, 1972, as illegal, is that correct?
Mr. Hormell: No.
Mr. Paluso: That they have all been dismissed and hired by this Salary Board and if your
ruling is upheld, they are all illegal. I want that noted on the record.
Mr. Hormell: If the Salary Board has hired these people, then yes, it is illegal.
Mr. Paluso: There it is. There is one today and everyone of them was hired and fired on
this Salary Board, and so was everyone else in the employ of this County since I have been
here, which is a year and five months. There is a motion on the floor, and it was seconded.
Mr. Jones: I say it is out of order. If you gentlemen want to take the same procedure as
you had before, be my guest.
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - No.
Motion carried.
Moved by Mr. Paluso, seconded by Mr. Elish, that Thomas E. Scurfield be
appointed as a member of the Board of Assessment of Appeals.
SALARY MINUTE B 013 K
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
MICHAEL R. FLYNN. JOHN P. BEYEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS
F
E
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - No.
Motion carried.
Mr. Jones: I say this is out of order.
Mr. Hormell: Mr. Chairman, I want this placed upon the record. The appointment and
dismissal of people by the Salary Board, we have ruled, is in my opinion, improper and
out of order; and in my opinion, both of these motions have no effect.
PARKS & RECREATION:
Moved by Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Jones, that the salaries of Charles
Russell, Park Policeman, Cross Creek Park (temporary) and Mickey Messina, Park
Policeman, Mingo Park (temporary) be set at $2. 50 per hour, effective April 30, 1973.
0
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - No; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried.
REGISTER OF WILLS:
Moved by Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Paluso, that the salary of Susan
Oberst, Extra Clerk Typist, be set at $136. 50 bi-weekly, effective May 14, 1973.
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried unanimously.
WASHINGTON COUNTY PRISON:
Moved by Mr. Elish, seconded by Mr. Paluso, that the salaries of the following
employees of the Washington County Prison be set as indicated:
Clara R. McWreath, Matron - 9 days @ $16. 80 per day - $151. 20
Alverta Denson, Matron - 9 days @ $16. 80 per day - $151. 20
Francis Rosman, Guard - 10 days @ $24. 15 per day - $241. 50
Stanley W. Danvers, Guard - 5 days @ $24. 15 per day - $120. 75
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Paluso - Yes; Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried unanimously.
SHERIFF'S OFFICE:
Moved by Mr. Debreczeni, seconded by Mr. Paluso, that the following matrons
be paid for 7 days work - $210.00 - each:
Paula Teagarden, for the dates from April 13, - April-20, 1973
Dorothy Ullom, for the dates from April T - April 14, 1973
Dorothy Ullom, for the dates from April 20 - April 27, 1973
Roll call vote taken:
Mr. Debreczeni - Yes; Mr. Paluso - Yes;
Mr. Elish - Yes; Mr. Jones - Yes.
Motion carried unanimously.