Northumberland County Coroner James F. Kelley believes his deputies deserve full-time benefits because of their pressing and unpredictable work schedules that require them to be on call "24-7."
But county commissioners Stephen Bridy and Vinny Clausi claim deputy coroners have been receiving health care insurance and other benefits "illegally" since 1998, when the county salary board agreed to split a full-time deputy position into two part-time posts.
The deputy status dispute builds upon the discord between the two commissioners and Kelley that surged this fall following the row-office salary cuts and subsequent lawsuit by those affected, including Kelley.
Part vs. full
Chief deputy coroner James R. Gotlob of Sunbury receives a salary of $14,762 plus annual medical benefits valued at $13,653. Deputy coroner Barry J. Leisenring of the Winfield area earns $9,305 plus $523 in medical benefits and $900 for a partial insurance waiver.
Kelley considers Gotlob a full-time employee even though county human resources director Joseph Picarelli confirmed Friday that Gotlob and Leisenring are both part time, at least according to county records.
During a campaign interview, Kelley said despite the part-time designation for Leisenring, it's only "on paper" to help save the county money in regards to state regulations. And he said Gotlob's designation as full-time is important in that he would acquire the coroner title should something happen to Kelley.
Plus, he said offering health care benefits to deputy coroners is in line with the county's long-standing effort to compensate for lower pay compared to the private sector by offering better benefits. He said he and the deputies deserve health care coverage, too, for jobs in which they are exposed to dead bodies and the risk of AIDS, hepatitis and other diseases, and do a lot of heavy lifting.
Clausi, who claims benefits valued at more than $500,000 have been received by deputy coroners since 1998, has threatened to eliminate the benefits come Jan. 1 because of the part-time designation.
Bridy said he is still researching the issue to determine how far back full-time benefits have been given to part-time employees. In addition to the deputy coroners, Bridy said at least one other current part-time employee may have received full-time benefits, but he declined to identify the employee until he completes more research.
'Part-time' by 1998 motion
According to county records obtained by The News-Item, a motion was unanimously approved by the salary board Feb. 3, 1998, to eliminate the full-time position of deputy coroner and create two part-time deputies. The motion passed following a recommendation by then-county coroner Richard Ulrich to have the part-time deputies receive benefits. But there is no mention in the motion about benefits.
Kelley, after catching wind of Bridy and Clausi's concerns during the final weeks of the election campaign, issued a press release Nov. 6 attempting to clarify information being "circulated" by the commissioners.
"The deputy coroner positions within the coroner's office have been termed part-time positions with full-time medical benefits. The implication that the deputies in the office are part time is false," he wrote. "The individuals appointed to these positions are on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week. They must be readily available to answer emergency calls when needed, then be dispatched to the required location in their coverage area, as quickly as possible.
"These positions were properly and legally created by the county salary board many years ago before my onset as coroner."
Kelley said it is "impossible" to conceive that Clausi and Bridy would expect the deputy positions to be anything but full time.
He said Clausi and Bridy would have people believe the deputies are the only positions structured in this manner, but that it applies as well to solicitor for the board of commissioners, a position held by Frank W. Garrigan.
"Attorney Garrigan does not by any means function in a typical 9 to 5 job. Using Clausi's and Bridy's own logic, Mr. Garrigan's position would be 'part-time' in nature, rather than anything else," Kelley said. "I'm sure Attorney Garrigan would disagree."
Picarelli said Garrigan, who receives a salary of $43,597, is listed as a full-time employee and receives annual benefits valued at $18,052.
'Bashing' hard workers
Kelley described the entire matter as more "political rhetoric" on the part of Clausi and Bridy.
"Instead of concentrating on important issues that directly impact the residents of our county, they prefer to grasp at any political club with which to bash my office and its hard-working employees," he said in the release.
He added, "Under the guise of saving taxpayer money, Clausi and Bridy are only concerned with furthering discord in Northumberland County government. Obviously, their own personal agendas are at the forefront of their actions, not the interests of the people they were elected to serve.
"It would be my strong suggestion that prior to casting aspersions in my direction, they understand the facts and first look to their own office."
Pay 50 percent
Bridy acknowledged the motion passed 15 years ago is not definitive in regard to benefits, but said since benefits weren't included in the wording of the motion, it means they weren't approved.
He said since the deputies are part-time employees, they shouldn't receive full-time benefits unless they pay 50 percent toward the county's cost for health care, in accordance with the county code. He said Gotlob and Leisenring do not contribute 50 percent.
The commissioner, who noted Kelley was a deputy coroner when the motion was passed in 1998 to create two part-time deputy coroners, said just because coroner staff are on call "24-7" doesn't mean they are full-time employees. "The commissioners also are on call '24-7," said Bridy, who doesn't consider his position full time.
The Oct. 1 vote to lower row officer salaries, approved by Clausi and Bridy and rejected by Commissioner Richard Shoch, included a vote to cut the commissioners' salaries from $61,000 to $31,000, but it won't take effect until after the 2015 election.
"I believe the deputy coroners have been receiving benefits illegally since 1998," Bridy reiterated.
In regard to Kelley's comments, Bridy said, "It's awfully funny that Mr. Kelley issued a press release a day after the election instead of before the election. It appears to me he feels guilty about something."
'Party's over'
Bridy said the county should have a "blanket benefit policy" for all part-time employees.
Clausi said Kelley "should know better."
"They have to stop manipulating the system; the party is over," he said.
He said the issue will be dealt with at the start of the new year.
"They will no longer receive full-time benefits at the taxpayers' expense," Clausi said.
Kelley, a Coal Township resident, has served as coroner since 2002 and worked as a deputy coroner for 12 years before that.
He was among four county row officers to file a civil lawsuit against Clausi, Bridy, Shoch and the county for lowering their salaries between 42 and 48 percent and increasing their contributions to health care to 50 percent of the county's cost. Kelley's salary would be cut from $53,834 to $30,500, effective Jan. 1.
But the row officers, through argument by their attorney Samuel C. Stretton of West Chester, were granted a temporary injunction Nov. 8 by Centre County Senior Judge David E. Grine that "freezes" the salary and health care changes until further action by the court.