Director of Public Safety Forest Rothchild had a much more positive report for the Lycoming County Commissioners this week in regards to a staffing shortage which he had brought to the board’s attention almost a month ago.

“A little over three weeks ago the 911 center was running on a skeleton crew. This morning I’m here to tell you that things are changing, and I want to walk you through how and why,” Rothchild told the commissioners.

“Six resumes from our career fair, eight through other outreach channels, three just yesterday, and two current county employees are asking to work part-time in the center, and one former employee is asking to come back. That’s 20 people in total in two weeks choosing this center, 20 people who want to work for this county or are asking to come back, telling us with their own effort and their heart that this is work worth their time. It is not a recruiting statistic, this is a vote in confidence,” he added.

Rothchild also shared that his department is seeking to hire a training coordinator, although he assured the commissioners that the search for a candidate would not disrupt training new hires.

“Until we find one, we are not standing still. A qualified point of contact from our senior staff is handling quality assurance training oversight right now. This is a bridge, not a foundation, a defined measure with a defined end date, not a lowering of the bar. Every candidate still walks the full path before they sit at the console alone,” Rothchild said.

“What I’m asking for is simple: let us keep walking the candidates across this bridge. Do not let the search for a permanent coordinator become a reason to stop hiring today. When the ordinary friction of onboarding shows up-payroll set up, classification, pay work, paperwork-let’s treat it as something to solve, not a reason to wait,” he said.

Calling on all departments in the county, such as human resource, budgeting, and information services, to help in the search for staff, Rothchild said, “Getting the center fully staffed is our county priority and we intend to work every line necessary to get there.”

In other business, the commissioners approved the following agenda items: Community Development and Block Grant Federal Fiscal Year 2024 and 2025 budget modifications and certifications and submission to the Department of Community and Economic Development, both are approved budgeted items; an agreement with JJ Powell, Inc. to provide lubricants for equipment at Resource Management Services to be paid through operating expenses; the purchase of software from E-Plus in the amount of $18,762 for the IT department to paid from operating expenses; and the removal of two policies form the county’s policy and procedures manual which have been deemed non-essential and outdated.

Under personnel, the commissioners approved the following internal changes: Heather George, full-time zoning officer II in Planning and Community Development at $55,000 per year; Patrick Riedy, full-time zoning officer I in Planning and Community Development, $50,000 per year; and Cana Riley, full-time resident supervisor at the Pre-Release Center, a union position at $20.70 per hour.

New hires under personnel items include: Brooke Bower, full-time custodial worker in Facilities Management, $14.74 per hour; Martyna Leonczuk and Kaleb Way, full-time correctional officers at the Prison, union positions at $21.50 per hour; Warren Nelson, part-time equipment operator at Resource Management, $18 per hour; and Matthew Andrus, full-time maintenance III/HVAC in Facilities Management, $28 per hour.

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