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Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri said he is free to set raises for non-union workers under the home rule government system — as long as he is within budget.

County Councilwoman Linda McClosky Houck’s reply: “Just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you should.”

The issue has come up because council earmarked $198,831, or enough to provide up to 2 percent raises for all non-union workers the manager oversees.

Pedri ended up granting increases ranging from 1 to 3 percent to 130 employees at a cost of $176,268 — a net savings of $22,563, he said.

While council controls the budget and used 2 percent as a funding benchmark, it cannot “in any way, shape or form” dictate that the manager cap percentages at that amount or interfere with his discretion over appropriate compensation, he said.

He said he disclosed his plans to provide a maximum 3 percent during the budget process and never indicated he would alter course when council lowered his initial request for funding to provide up to 3 percent to all.

The breakdown of the 130 employees who received increases: 1 percent, 7; 1.5 percent, 3; 2 percent, 31; 2.5 percent, 37; and 3 percent, 52.

Some workers received nothing because they did not display a level of performance that he felt warranted an increase or they were hired or promoted in 2018, said Pedri. He did not have an immediate tally of the number in this category.

McClosky Houck, who has requested discussion about the raises at the Feb. 12 work session, believes council members made it clear they were comfortable with 2 percent, which was the amount provided to a clerk under council’s supervision and non-union workers in court branches managed by the county judiciary.

“I think it’s a slap in the face to council,” she said of raises above 2 percent.

‘Above and beyond’

The manager’s ability to grant more than 2 percent to 89 workers also is raising questions about how enough funding was available, she said.

McClosky Houck requested a list of which positions are vacant and the number of current non-union workers who did not receive merit increases because these salaries were part of the tally on how much was provided. She said she painstakingly reviewed the position budget and determined there are 211 non-union positions, but only 130, or 62 percent, received increases.

Pedri said 211 may not be correct, and human resources is working on a report for the Feb. 12 meeting.

Employees hired and promoted in 2018 also were factored into the amount provided for raises, officials said.

Pedri said he did not finalize the raise plan until after the budget was approved and decided it would be inappropriate to provide increases without full-year performance evaluations. Vacancies are constantly fluctuating as employees are hired and leave, he noted.

Providing across-the-board 2 percent raises to all would have been “easier” but not in the county’s best interest, he said, emphasizing his philosophy that workers should not “just show up to work and receive a raise.”

”How does that motivate employees? I refuse to reward mediocrity,” said Pedri. “Raises are for those who go above and beyond.”

Some employees who received minimal or no raises a year ago have subsequently excelled and warranted increases in 2019, which he views as an indicator merit raises have been an “extremely successful” strategy. The county’s five-year fiscal recovery plan also recommended merit raises and performance evaluations, he said.

“Only in Luzerne County do you come $22,000 under budget and people are still complaining,” Pedri said.

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By Jennifer Learn-Andes

[email protected]

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.