SUNBURY - Ten supervisors in the Northumberland County court system were granted between $2,000 and $3,000 salary increases, while one administrator declined an approximate $2,000 pay hike Thursday morning during a special salary board meeting.
Receiving increases were director of juvenile court services William Rossnock ($46,554 to $48,891), supervisor II for juvenile court services Lisa Donlan ($43,092 to $45,515), supervisor I for juvenile court services Todd Nye ($41,434 to $43,898), supervisor II for juvenile court services Noel Jones ($39,810 to $42,315), deputy chief for adult probation Michael Yasenchak ($52,999 to $55,174), supervisor I for adult probation Timothy Heitzman ($47,594 to $49,904), supervisor I for adult probation Michael Barvitskie ($43,970 to $46,371), director of family court and domestic relations Cindy Price ($43,969 to $46,370), assistant director for domestic relations Shelly Supatina ($41,646 to $44,104), and casework supervisor for domestic relations Gwendolyn Murphy ($39,467 to $41,981).
The raises are retroactive to the first pay period of the year.
Chief adult probation officer Dave Wondoloski respectfully declined an increase that would have hiked his $59,638 salary to $61,648. Wondoloski, who thanked the salary board for approving the other raises, stated, "These raises are much deserved. It's vital for the county to attract and retain these valuable personnel. I prefer not to take a raise because these other employees, who have been here longer than me, deserve it more, and it will save the taxpayers some money."
Wondoloski has served as chief adult probation officer for more than four years.
Voting to approve the increases were salary board chairman and Commissioner Vinny Clausi, Commissioner Rick Shoch, controller Tony Phillips and President Judge Robert B. Sacavage, who represented the court. Commissioner Stephen Bridy, who voted against the increases, stated, "I think the supervisors do a bang up job and they all deserve a raise, but my conscience will not allow me to approve the salary increases."
Clausi, who praised Wondoloski for declining his salary increase, said the county has been considering granting the raises for two years and needs to maintain good employees by offering them more money. He said, "We've been losing a lot of good people in the county because some supervisors are making less than union employees they are in charge of," he said. "That has to stop because it's not right."
Joseph Picarelli, human resources director for the county, said each supervisor was granted a $3,000 raise minus the 2 1/2 percent pay increase they received in January.
The salary board also increased the salary of Lisa Laboskie, a senior accountant in the controller's office, from $33,633.86 to $36,314. Laboskie has served in the position for one year. Voting to approve the increase were Clausi, Shoch and Phillips. Bridy cast the lone dissenting vote for the same reason he gave for voting against the raises for the court supervisors.