Clearfield contends with staffing shortages

Employees say county doesn’t pay enough to attract applicants

CLEARFIELD -- Finding qualified employees to fill vacant positions in Clearfield County is getting critical for some county services, according to several department heads, saying the county doesn't pay enough to keep workers.

Those department leaders, who recently took the issue to the media, said they've been trying to find a solution, but county commissioners contend wages are competitive and won't listen to proposals.

Rick Redden, Domestic Relations Section director, recently called a meeting with local media, asking for help because the office is operating in survival mode.

Currently, the county commissioners are in negotiations with several labor unions and have refused to sit down with Redden and the county judges to discuss solutions to the staffing problem, Redden said.

The biggest obstacle for finding applicants is the salary.

"We are getting laughed at," Redden said, when people learn of the starting wage -- $14.40 an hour -- for an enforcement officer. One employee, who has been with the office for six years, still doesn't make $15 an hour.

The position requires a college degree, counseling skills and an extensive knowledge of the law. Other counties have been benefiting from Clearfield's failure to pay more.

"We are training them, and they are taking them," Redden said, noting that one employee left because his new position would have him making $12,000 more a year.

The DRS, a division of the Clearfield County Court, works with families to collect child support, spousal support and alimony.

Normally, the office has six enforcement officers and one enforcement supervisor. Right now, there are only two enforcement officers, Redden said.

Employees are taking on additional work to try to keep things moving. Redden fears that if things continue, the DuBois office will be forced to close.

There is state money available to supplement employee salaries, Redden said, but it has to be approved by the commissioners.

Currently state funds pay 66% of the DRS salaries, but the percentage can be increased.

Redden said the funds depend on the agency meeting certain standards. Previously, the county had been at 87% in its collections, but because of staffing issues, the number has fallen. If it drops below 80%, the office will lose state funds, placing more of a burden on county taxpayers.

Redden said it takes three or more days for staff to return phone calls and inquiries can be put off by at least a week. There is a backlog in domestic-related court dates, which are already scheduled well into April.

"Everything is falling apart," Redden said.

"I don't know why we aren't getting a response (from the commissioners)," he said. "We appreciate there are contract negotiations, but we have an immediate problem and we have to address this issue."

In the meeting with Redden, Court Administrator F. Cortez "Chip" Bell said that once the contracts are done, the employees' salaries will be locked in and state funds won't be available for incentives.

In July, President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman suggested raising probation office supervision fees from $25 to $50 per month to help compensate office employees, including an open court reporter position vacant for more than five years.

A second proposal outlined a scale for bonuses, which can come from the state funds to domestic relations and probation departments employees.

"All benefits and taxes, including but not limited to pension payments associated with payment of supplements, overtime or supplemented on-call pay shall also be paid from the supervision or incentive monies, as applicable," the proposal states.

"The union contracts can describe the methods for the payment of the supplements and overtime, while the court's administrative order will do the same."

As Bell and Ammerman said, the court cannot utilize the funds without the commissioners' approval.

Ammerman, Redden and Shawn Burkhart, director of Probation Services, are available to discuss ideas with the commissioners in more detail. No such meeting has been scheduled.

Commissioners Dave Glass, John Sobel and Tony Scotto in a statement said: "Contrary to DRO's recent statements, the wages paid to these employees are competitive with, and in some cases higher than, the wages paid to the same employees in other comparable counties.

"Any negotiated wage or benefit increases must necessarily contemplate the county and its employees as a whole, and must appreciate the county's responsibility to ensure that fair and competitive wages and benefits are available to all county employees. This goal cannot be accomplished unless the county structures its negotiations to account for rising health care costs and to ensure that sufficient funds are available to provide all county employees with fair wages and robust benefits, and this goal is not served by public undermining of negotiations, employee morale, and the county's strenuous efforts on this front."

The commissioners stated the proposed increased wages would result in the county having to contribute more taxpayer funds for employee pensions, which Ammerman disputes.