The Lycoming County Commissioners continued their plan this week of streamlining staffing by eliminating some positions and renaming others to better suit their function.

“We’ve definitely made some changes around with removing some jobs from the TDA (Total Distribution Allocation) which has been a constant work in process for this board of commissioners to reduce some staffing,” said Commissioner Marc Sortman.

“We haven’t reduced any staff. That hasn’t really been a vacant position. Today, we moved some jobs around,” he said.

During the Salary Board portion of the commissioners’ meeting this week, the following moves were approved: in the Public Defender’s Office-delete two full-time temporary law clerk positions, a full-time clerk III position and a full-time public defender investigator position from the TDA and add two full-time assistant public defender union positions; in Planning and Community Development-delete one full-time administrative coordinator position from the TDA; and in the Financial Management Office-add one full-time administrative coordinator position to the TDA. and delete one full-time administrative specialist position from the TDA.

” I just wanted to reinforce it, is the planning move was strictly on the fact that the administrative coordinator that was in planning was really a financial person for that team. I believe all financial should fall under the financial offices, which, we have three different financial offices within the county, but we got to get those teams in the right spot,” Sortman said.

“A lot of it also which, I think, is an approach that we’re trying to do different here, as this current board, is to get the county operating as one team on behalf of the taxpayers. In doing this, it doesn’t take anything away from the Planning Department not to have financial support-it’s just that support is done out of another office. But they shouldn’t lose anything in planning because of that as we make these different types of moves, because as a team, we should all be working together,” he continued.

“We can’t be keeping our separate little departments, and I only do this, and I only do that, so that’s all part of the ultimate goal of-we’ve talked about several times-a culture change. It’s all part of that, getting everybody working together for one goal. I think helps with the moves that we made in today’s salary board,” he added.

Other items approved by the commissioners included: an agreement with Dr. Ashley R. Nicholson, MD MPH FACEP for services to the District Attorney’s Office; an agreement with Bio-Haz Solutions in the amount of $5,000 to be included with the Prison and the Coroner’s Office; an agreement with Xtreme Truckin, LLC on an as needed basis for Resource Management Services (RMS);an agreement with Equipment Depot on as needed basis at RMS; he 904 Recycling Performance grant application for 2024; the reimbursement to Jackson Township for the design and installation of accessibility improvements at the Jackson Township Building in the amount of $46,193 as part of the project to to improve accessibility at county polling sites; a three-year maintenance renewal with EPlus in the amount of $24,213 ($8,071 annually) for battery backup and maintenance and the purchase of two network switches from E-Plus in the amount of $11,003; an agreement with Comcast for phone and internet for Coroner’s Building; the purchase from Keyser Consulting Group, LLC in the amount of $7,316 for videoconferencing equipment at the prison’the purchase from Keyser Consulting Group, LLC in the amount of $30,958 for videoconferencing at the Magisterial District Justice offices; and an agreement with the Lycoming County Sheriff to get the salaries in line with the other row officers.

The commissioners also approved, with solicitor review, an agreement with Hillis-Carnes Engineering Associates for fireproofing at Third Street Plaza.

Under personnel, the following moves were approved:Financial Management – Angela Scocchera, full-time administrative coordinator in Financial Management at $19.92 per hour; – Duane Long, full-time work crew foreman supervisor at the Pre-Release Center, $25.48 per hour; Pre-Release Center – Maison Irvin, resident supervisor,a full-time union position at the Pre-Release CenterUnion, $19.20 per Hour, 80 Hours per Pay Period, Anticipated Start Date: October 27, 2025. Prison – McKenzie King, Correctional Officer, Union, Full-Time, $20.00 per Hour, 80 Hours per Pay Period, Anticipated Start Date: October 20, 2025. Prison – Ashley Wilson, full-time Licensed Practical Nurse at the Prison, $30.00 per hour; Maureen Archibold Carrion, Assistant Public Defender, Union, full-time, $62,315 per year; Richard Dixon, Assistant Public Defender, Union, full-time, $62,315 per year; Aminah Woodruff and Brittany Mitchell, full-time telecommunicator trainees at Public Safety/911 Center at $18.72 per hour each.

The next Commissioners’ meeting will be at 10 a.m. Oct. 23 in the Commissioners’ Board Room, 3rd floor Third Street Plaza, 33 West Third St.