By Justin Strawser
The News-Item
SUNBURY — The probation department in Northumberland County was restructured Wednesday afternoon following a recommendation by President Judge Robert B. Sacavage.
The move, which was approved by majority consent of the salary board, is expected to immediately save the county $38,000, and could save the county tens of thousands of dollars more with further restructuring in the future, Sacavage said.
“I want to thank the judge for stepping up to the plate,” Chairman Vinny Clausi said.
No personnel will be lost and no new money will be spent, he said.
Changes
With the retirement of adult chief probation officer Dave Wondoloski July 1, the board eliminated his position, and brought adult and juvenile probation departments under one umbrella.
At the meeting, the salary board restructured the two departments in a series of changes.
A new position titled chief probations officer was created and filled by Michael Barvitskie at a salary of $61,403. Barvitskie was in a supervisor position in adult probation.
The current position of chief juvenile probation officer, which is held by William Rosnock, was eliminated and changed to deputy chief juvenile probation officer at a salary of $50,113. The current position of deputy chief adult probation officer is held by Tim Heitzman, which he held before Wondoloski retired.
The deputy chiefs will fall under the management of Barvitskie.
Furthermore, a probation supervisor position in adult probation was created and filled by Marc Weir at a salary of $47,773. Another vacant adult probation supervisor position was filled by Megan Kriner at a salary of $47,773.
The position of juvenile probation treatment court officer was also eliminated.
The changes put three supervisors in both probation departments under the chief and deputy chiefs.
‘No’ votes
Sacavage said the salary board recognized the changes as a sincere effort to do things smarter and more efficiently.
Because the changes were taking place in Sacavage’s department, he was considered a voting member with commissioners Clausi, Stephen Bridy and Rick Shoch and Controller Tony Phillips.
Bridy voted against filling the chief probation officer position at the salary of $61,403, adding a probation supervisor position in adult probation and filling two supervisor positions with Weir and Kriner.
He said the individuals were receiving too much of a pay increase in their new positions and he didn’t agree with adding any further positions.
For example, he said, Barvitskie increased last year from $43,000 to $51,000, and then this new raise brings him up to $61,000.
While Bridy considers him the right person for the job, he doesn’t agree with such a massive increase in a short amount of time.
“I’d rather give him a small raise, and then give performance raises to reward him,” he said.
Also, Weir was previously making $40,799, making his promotion a nearly $7,000 increase, and Kriner was previously making $39,000, making her promotion more than an $8,000 increase, Bridy said.
Shoch voted against all eight motions on the agenda.
When questioned following the meeting, the commissioner said the agenda he saw previously had been changed when it was given to him at the salary board meeting.
“If people want me to support something, give it to me up front,” he said.
Clausi and Phillips said the changes were discussed late Tuesday afternoon, but the two said they could not find Shoch for his input.
Plus, the changes were to reduce the original salaries they were set to vote on, they said.
There was also no support for the increases in the court leadership, Shoch said.
Retirement board
Northumberland County Retirement Board also met Wednesday morning, and voted unanimously to adopt an amended county employee’s retirement system and trust plan that was previously approved Jan. 1, 2011.
Phillips, a voting member of the board with Clausi, Shoch and Bridy, said the brief meeting was held for a “paperwork and housekeeping” issue.
In 2010, the county’s actuary Hay Group, of Philadelphia, recommended the county group together with other counties for their retirement plans, and they have been operating under the new plans since early 2011.
Now, said Phillips, the IRS is requiring them to officially adopt the plan.