Luzerne County Government

July 14, 2010

Use of cars nets deputies $84,551

Six sheriff deputies get money to use personal vehicles, plus salaries.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Six Luzerne County sheriff deputies who use their own vehicles to serve civil documents will be paid a combined $84,551 in addition to their salaries so far this year to date, according to county Controller Walter Griffith.

The payments had been held up by Griffith because he had no authorization to release the money. He said he will now be required to cut the checks because county commissioners Thomas Cooney and Maryanne Petrilla recently adopted a union agreement allowing the expenditure.

Petrilla and Cooney say their approval was meant to give Sheriff John Gilligan options, and he is free to decide whether he wants to switch to using county-owned vehicles to serve the documents.

Griffith and county minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban support the use of county-owned vehicles, saying the extra money being paid to deputies could be used to lease or purchase additional vehicles if necessary.

Gilligan, who took over as sheriff on June 10, said Tuesday that he is assessing the sheriff vehicle fleet and will permanently implement the plan that’s best for the county.

He stressed the vehicle reimbursement for deputies comes from a fee paid by attorneys who need the papers served.

“It’s not taxpayer money whatsoever,” Gilligan said.

Past Sheriff Barry Stankus has said he covered the serving of documents by using some of the fee revenue to lease county vehicles and assigning the deputies to more evening shifts. The deputies did not receive additional pay, and leftover revenue was returned to the county, he said. The county got to keep the vehicles for $1 after several years, he said

Griffith said the money would be better spent acquiring vehicles, if needed, because the department could update its fleet and eliminate the perception that some employees are getting bonuses.

“I see this as another way for some deputy sheriffs to get additional income on top of their salaries,” Griffith said.

Urban concurred.

“Their salaries are fixed by the county, and that’s all they’re entitled to, in my opinion,” Urban said.

Deputies must make three attempts to serve a document. If one trip is required, a deputy may come out ahead, but the flat payment may not cover gas and wear-and-tear on the vehicle if multiple trips are necessary, the deputies have argued.

The deputies who are paid to use their own vehicles must also provide proof of insurance and obtain increased insurance coverage at their own cost, county officials say.

Griffith said he will release a monthly report on the additional amount paid to the deputies so the public is informed. His report released this week says deputies will receive the following vehicle usage payments from January to date: Joe Christino, $16,872; Mary Jean Farrell, $18,911; Eugene Gurnari, $15,209; James Joyce, $19,830; Jennifer Roberts, $3,201; and Mark Senczakowicz, $10,528.

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