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The Lycoming County commissioners approved invoices totaling $102,469 last month to renew the county's financial software package licensing and maintenance through Superion, contingent upon the company's response to requests to pay in installments or reduce the overall price.
Superion refused to split the payment; however, it was willing to offer the county a savings, Karl Demi, director of information services, told the commissioners Thursday morning.
"I was able to negotiate them down from an initial 2 percent offer to 14.28 percent reduction in the bill for a total cost reduction of $14,638.39," Demi said.
The contract, for software used in several county departments, particularly fiscal services, needed to be upgraded to be used and maintained throughout the year.
In another matter, the commissioners approved 2-1 hiring Joshua Lichter as a full-time replacement maintenance III person in the prison. Commissioner Rick Mirabito voted against the new hire, stating the county should look into moving a crew foreman from the Pre-Release Center into the position and instead hiring Lichter in the county maintenance department, which has two vacancies.
When the commissioners last toured the center, staff said there were fewer residents to take out on jobs and, in general, they have less work to do, Mirabito said. Also, the commissioners signed a resolution in November 2017 to cut positions through attrition, including two at the Pre-Release Center, he said.
"The work crewmen who are out there, at least two of them, have prior experience in the prison," he said. "The experience of working in the prison is not the same as just being a general maintenance person. The last person we hired in this position lasted two months."
In December, the Pre-Release Center went under new leadership. Commissioner Jack McKernan said he would like to meet first with the new director and get an update before moving staff around.
He asked Matt McDermott, director of administration, to set up a meeting.
"From my understanding, it is a matter of different skill level, and therefore, I will take the recommendation from the warden," added Commissioner Tony Mussare. "I totally agree with my colleague that, wherever we can reduce staff, that should be one of our top goals. In this particular case, I'm leaving it up to the wisdom of the maintenance departments."
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved a grant and monitoring agreement with the Lycoming County Fire Police Association for $1,500 to go toward training and education.
• Approved a grant and monitoring agreement with the American Rescue Workers for $21,000 to "fill a gap" in funding to replace the roof of the shelter on Elmira Street, the commissioners said.
• Approved the purchase of 18,720 flags from Flagzone for $10,764 for the Veterans Affairs Office.
• Awarded purchase agreements to McCarthy Tire Services and Service Tire Truck Centers on an as-needed, per-item basis for Resource Management Services.
• Approved the following personnel actions: Joshua Lichter as a full-time replacement maintenance III in the prison at $19.81 per hour, effective Feb. 25; Ryan Workman as full-time replacement clerk III in the prothonotary's office at $13.95 per hour, effective Tuesday; promoted Brittany L. Hardy as a full-time replacement bail release officer in the prison at $20.23 per hour, effective Feb. 24; promoted Adam C. Welteroth Sr. to the new full-time bail release officer in the prison at $20.23 per hour, effective Feb. 24; and Penelope J. Cummings as a full-time replacement second deputy treasurer in the treasurer's office at $35,289.56 annually, effective Feb. 10.
The next meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Executive Plaza.