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By JENNIFER LEARN-ANDES jandes@leader.net
Wednesday, March 12, 2003 Page: 3A
The Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas has hired or promoted five people
since February, poking holes in county commissioners’ pledge that the
cash-strapped county won’t fill vacant jobs.
County officials aren’t even sure that all five positions were created by
the county Salary Board, which they say is a prerequisite of any promotion or
new hire.
Court records show President Judge Mike Conahan promoted Michael Vecchio
and Michael Loughney to deputy chiefs in the Probation Services Department at
annual salaries of $55,259 each. Christopher Patte (son of restaurateur and
Democratic supporter Pat Patte) was promoted to supervisor in Probation
Services for $47,500 a year, records show. Philip D. Nardiello and Christopher
J. Tracy were each hired as probation officers with no salaries listed.
County Probation Services Director Paul McGarry said the two probation
officer positions were vacated this year by people who got other jobs. One
deputy chief position was vacant for at least a year, and he wasn’t sure about
the history of the other two management posts.
McGarry said he doesn’t know if Conahan plans to hire or promote people to
fill the jobs held by Patte, Vecchio and Loughney before their promotions, or
whether the potions will be eliminated.
It’s time majority commissioners straighten out the matter because they
approved the budget and should make sure the spending plan is followed, said
Controller Steve Flood. “The majority commissioners are now lame ducks and
we’re going to have more problems in the next eight or nine months because
these people don’t want to cooperate in such serious matters.”
Commissioner Tom Pizano said he is unaware of the hirings or how they were
funded, referring comment to county Personnel/Budget Director Russ Arnone.
Arnone has said repeatedly at public meetings that the county’s 2003 budget
provides no funding for any vacant positions – raising questions about where
the courts got the money for the three management positions that were recently
vacated.
Still angry about a recent story that questioned his credentials, Arnone
grumbled: “Talk to the CPAs. That’s my comment. I’m not qualified to answer
that question according to the article.”
Flood complained that he has asked Arnone for a complete list of all
outstanding vacant positions for weeks and hasn’t gotten a straight answer.
The county Salary Board must vote to eliminate all vacant positions if it
wants to shut the avenue that allows Conahan and row officers from filling
jobs, but Pizano has refused for weeks to convene a Salary Board meeting. The
Salary Board consists of the three commissioners and controller. Conahan and
row officers get a vote on matters concerning their offices.
Flood said Arnone on Tuesday told him he didn’t know of any vacant
probation deputy chief positions approved by the Salary Board. Arnone also
said he did not believe his 2003 budget provided enough funding to fill any
vacancies, but he couldn’t be sure.
“Are the courts doing creative hiring here? We don’t know,” Flood said.
“There’s no records or anything to bring up. The Personnel/Budget Office is
telling us `We don’t know.’ ”
Flood said he could ultimately stop payment for any of the positions that
weren’t funded by commissioners or approved by the Salary Board, but he said
he needs concrete information first.
Minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said he doesn’t support the hiring
of anybody for positions that have lingered on the vacancy list or never
approved by the Salary Board.
McGarry said he can’t discuss in detail what was funded and what was
approved by the Salary Board, but that everything will be covered by the
court’s existing budget.
Court officials believe it’s within their power to shift money within their
budget as long as they don’t approach the county for more money.
County commissioners have said they must publicly approve all budget
transfers within departments so they can properly monitor the budget.
McGarry said the promotions were in order because the courts have placed
more people in probation, largely to reduce the rising cost of incarceration
of both adults and juveniles.