After months of deleting positions from the TDA (Table of Distribution and Authorization), the Lycoming County Commissioners, along with County Controller Nikki Gottschall, acting as the Salary Board, approved adding positions. Four are new positions and a fifth is a position that is being returned to the TDA.

A part-time law clerk was added in the District Attorney’s Office because of Assistant District Attorney vacancies. A part-time county investigator was also added in the DA’s office. Both positions are new and will be funded through the DA’s budget. As an elected official, DA Marino also voted with the Salary Board on these actions.

Other new positions added to the TDA were: a temporary part-time executive secretary in Judge Eric Linhardt’s office to serve while a full-time secretary is sought; a full-time custodial position in Facilities Management which will be funded by savings realized through the elimination of outside contracts and vendors. A part-time clerk III in the Treasurer’s Office to handle extra work in the department was added back to the TDA and will be funded through the budget.

The board also voted to eliminate the full-time director of financial management position from the TDA. The position was eliminated following the retirement of Mya Toon. According to Commissioner Scott Metzger, four people in that department plus Shannon Barnes, the director of administration, will absorb the duties of that position with no salary increases. He also said that the elimination of the position saves the county about $90,000.

The commissioners had begun eliminating positions that had remained empty from the TDA last year in a cost-saving effort. When they began the process, they had signaled that if any department found that they needed to add the positions to the TDA that they would consider doing so.

Other actions taken by the commissioners included approving the following agenda items: an amendment to the three-year contract with Rapid Financial Solutions for a seven cent increase per card on the cards used to pay jurors; a payment to DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) in the amount of $2,500 to be paid from the landfill’s operating expenses; a waiver to reduce licenses with ServicePro reducing the number of licenses which will reduce the cost; an agreement with Guardian Protection Services in the amount of $8,760 to be paid out Facilities Managements operating expenses;and the 2024/2025 PHARE Subrecipient Monitoring Agreement with Lycoming -Clinton Joinder Board in the amount of $100,000 which is grant funded.

Three CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) subrecipient agreements for fiscal year 2024 were approved for the following communities and amounts: Jersey Shore, $78,649; Montoursville, $84,578; and South Williamsport, $98,454.

The board also approved two fiscal year 2023 CDBG subrecipient agreements for: South Williamsport, $100,330 and American Rescue Workers, $24,385.

An update to the Human Resources’ Department policy on employee protection (whistleblower) was approved and the addition of a Human Resources policy on the county’s code of conduct were both approved.

Under personnel, the commissioners approved hiring: Thomas Tamberelli part-time resident supervisor at the Pre-Release Center, a union position at $19.20 per hour; Tina Ayers, full-time resident supervisor at the Pre-Release Center, a union position, $19.20 per hour; Ty Nixon, a part-time correctional officer at the Prison, a union position at $20 per hour; and Joseph Shamburg, as a work crew foreman at Resource Management Services at $18 per hour.

The next commissioners’ meeting will be at 10 a.m. April 9, in the Commissioners’ Board Room, 3rd floor, Third Street Plaza, 33 West Third St.