Susquehanna County to Close Correctional Facility, Lay Off Officers; Commissioners Approve Housing, Staffing and Contracts

The Susquehanna County Commissioners on March 13 ratified an executive-session decision to close the county correctional facility effective March 28 and approved layoffs of correctional staff with severance, effective April 23, 2025.

The move followed notice at the start of the meeting that the board had met in executive session March 13 and “took action regarding the Susquehanna County Correctional Facility,” with those decisions to be ratified at the public meeting. Commissioners then voted on an item to “ratify and approve the closure of Susquehanna County Correctional [Facility] effective March 28,” which carried.

The commissioners later approved a separate motion to lay off “all part time and full time corrections officers, sergeant Cooks, and administrative person positions within the Susquehanna County Correctional Facility” with approved severance pay, effective April 23, 2025. That motion passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: closing the county jail shifts custody responsibilities and costs to outside facilities and requires intergovernmental arrangements for inmate housing, affects county payroll and benefits, and triggers implementation tasks such as records transfers and severance administration.

What the board approved and next steps - The board ratified earlier executive-session action and voted to close the county correctional facility effective March 28. The motion was moved and seconded during the public meeting and carried by voice vote. - The board approved layoffs of correctional staff with severance, effective April 23, 2025. The motion directs implementation of severance payments and termination processes for affected positions. - Commissioners approved an intergovernmental agreement resolution (Resolution 2025-04) to arrange housing of Susquehanna County inmates with other jurisdictions. That resolution was approved during the meeting and will govern where inmates will be held after the county facility closes.

Other personnel actions tied to jail operations - During an earlier salary-board segment of the meeting, commissioners approved the creation of several full-time, nonunion positions related to inmate management and jail administration: an inmate management coordinator, a deputy inmate management coordinator, a jail accounts manager, and an office manager/paralegal position for the district attorney. Those position-creation motions were approved on the record during the salary board and carried by voice vote.

Related contracts and services approved - The board approved purchase-of-service agreements with Susquehanna County Children, Youth and Families United Network (Muncy, PA) and with Values Housing Committee Inc. (Bethlehem). Those agreements were ratified and approved. - Commissioners approved entering into agreements to house inmates with other counties or facilities under the adopted intergovernmental agreements (Resolution 2025-04).

Votes at a glance (select items approved at the March 13 meeting) - Ratify executive-session decisions on the Susquehanna County Correctional Facility and approve closure effective March 28 — approved. - Lay off part-time and full-time corrections officers, Sergeant Cooks, and administrative positions at the correctional facility, with severance, effective April 23, 2025 — approved. - Approve Resolution 2025-04 authorizing intergovernmental agreements for housing inmates — approved. - Create full-time, nonunion positions (inmate management coordinator; deputy inmate management coordinator; jail accounts manager; district attorney office manager/paralegal) — approved (salary board). - Ratify purchase-of-service agreements with Susquehanna County Children, Youth and Families United Network and Values Housing Committee Inc. — approved.

What the record shows and what remains to be done The motions on closure and layoffs passed by voice vote; the meeting record does not list roll-call tallies for those motions. The county will need to complete administrative tasks tied to closure and staffing changes, including notification, final payroll/severance processing, records custody, and coordination under the intergovernmental inmate-housing agreements. Specific implementation dates beyond the two effective dates in the motions were not specified in the public meeting record.

Ending: Several other routine items and procurement votes were held at the same meeting; these are summarized in a separate county meeting roundup that documents equipment purchases, IT procurement, and proclamations approved by the board.