Franklin County approves multiple salary-board personnel changes, reclassifications and temporary incentives

Franklin County Commissioners, sitting as the county salary board, on a series of motions approved multiple personnel actions including eliminations of vacant positions, reclassifications, temporary part‑time appointments and short-term incentives intended to address staffing shortages and operational needs across county departments.

The salary board met after public comment that included calls for higher pay for jail and corrections staff. A lineup of items moved in a series of block votes and individual motions; the board recorded unanimous “aye” votes on each motion where the transcript records the roll call.

Why it matters: the actions affect staffing and payroll across key county operations — the county jail, adult and juvenile probation, public defender grant positions, tax assessment staff and county administration — and the board said the changes are designed to save money by eliminating vacant positions, improve recruitment/retention and provide short-term operational support where vacancies are causing service gaps.

What the board approved and discussion highlights

- Position eliminations and net savings: County staff presented a list of vacant positions proposed for elimination across departments (adult probation, area agency on aging, clerk of courts legal assistant, commissioners’ office administrative roles, information services, mental health/IDD/early intervention administrative assistant positions, property management custodial and other part-time roles). Carrie, who presented the package, told the board the eliminations would produce projected budget savings of $423,320 for positions that had been budgeted. A motion to approve the eliminations passed unanimously.

- Adult and juvenile probation changes: The board restored a transfer officer position in Adult Probation to a Probation Officer 1 (transfer officer) at the proposed hourly rate ($19.32) after managers said the specialized transfer work (interstate compact handling and supervision of out‑of‑county cases) requires a line officer. The board also approved elimination of a part‑time van operator position that had been vacant since before COVID because demand for transport has declined. The board also approved a temporary part‑time court officer (8 hours/week for up to 6 months or 1,000 hours, whichever comes first) to help train staff after a retirement; President Judge and chief probation officials emphasized the training and institutional knowledge benefit of a short-term, experienced officer. Motions passed unanimously.

- Juvenile probation promotion: The board approved a 7% increase to move an incumbent, Jenna Eaton, from Probation Officer 3 to Probation Supervisor with a projected annual salary of $64,030.51; the board discussed pay‑grade anomalies between union‑covered and supervisory roles and approved the motion unanimously.

- Jail reorganization and incentives: Warden Franzoni asked to reclassify a Major (grade 25) to a Correctional Security Supervisor/Captain (grade 24) and eliminate one lieutenant position to better clarify the chain of command. The board approved the reclassification (saved about $3,700 annually) and the lieutenant elimination; the motion passed. The board also approved a 90‑day stipend program to compensate employees (including adult probation, juvenile probation, sheriff’s non‑correctional staff and current correctional officers) who voluntarily take additional coverage during the jail’s critical staffing period: $50 for 4 hours and $100 for 8 hours of extra coverage. The warden said she could absorb the cost within her current personnel budget; the motion passed unanimously.

- Warden and emergency services performance pay: The board approved a previously authorized 12‑month performance bonus of $6,000 for the warden, and authorized a partial $3,500 award now (of an originally contemplated $7,500 package) for the director of emergency services with an additional review in six months. Commissioners noted each leader has made significant operational progress despite incomplete metrics (for example, ACA accreditation timing and statewide staffing pressures). Motions carried unanimously.

- Tax services and assessor flexibility: Tax director Jody Martin received approval to advertise and fill assessor vacancies as either Assessor 1 (grade 14) or Assessor 2 (grade 15) depending on candidate credentials and to reclassify positions later when a candidate obtains Pennsylvania certified evaluator (CPE) licensure; the board approved the flexibility unanimously.

- Veteran services and public defender grant items: Veterans services director received a temporary-part‑time continuation through year‑end to assess office needs; the board amended the motion to extend the temporary role through the end of the calendar year and re-evaluate in January. The public defender’s previously authorized indigent defense grant‑funded positions were extended one additional year (January–December) consistent with the grant extension from PCCD; the board approved the extension unanimously.

- Property management hire and county administration reclassification: Property management received approval to hire an electrician at a proposed salary ($73,000) to replace a long‑vacant role; county administration advanced a reclassification of an administrative officer to a higher grade (12 → 15) and 37.5 → 40 hours to reflect added open‑records, supervisory and office‑management duties. Both motions passed.

Votes at a glance (selected agenda IDs and outcomes) - 5.02 – Eliminate multiple vacant positions across departments (see motion text for list). Outcome: approved; projected budgeted savings $423,320 (where positions were budgeted). - 5.03 – Adult Probation: reestablish transfer officer as Probation Officer 1 and eliminate van operator. Outcome: approved. - 5.04 – Temporary court officer (8 hrs/week, up to 6 months/1,000 hrs) to assist training after retirement. Outcome: approved. - 5.05 – Juvenile probation: 7% increase to move Jenna Eaton to Probation Supervisor (projected $64,030.51). Outcome: approved. - 5.06 – Tax Services: allow assessor 1/2 flexibility and reclassification discretion. Outcome: approved. - 5.08 – Veterans services: extend part‑time temporary through Dec. 31; reorg discussion in January. Outcome: approved. - 5.09 – Public Defender: extend grant‑funded positions through 12/31/2026 per PCCD extension. Outcome: approved. - 5.12 – Jail reclassify Major → Correctional Security Supervisor/Captain and eliminate 1 lieutenant (and related roster adjustments). Outcome: approved. - 5.13 – Jail 90‑day staffing stipend program ($50/4 hours; $100/8 hours). Outcome: approved; effective start date set aligned with next pay period (board discussion). - 5.14 – Property Management: hire electrician at $73,000. Outcome: approved. - 5.15 – Warden 12‑month performance bonus ($6,000). Outcome: approved. - 5.16 – Emergency Services: partial performance award now ($3,500) with 6‑month review for additional amount. Outcome: approved. - 5.17 – County administration: reclassify administrative officer to grade 15 and expand to 40 hours/week. Outcome: approved.

Discussion and context: Commissioners and the President Judge repeatedly framed many of the actions as targeted steps to reduce vacant positions, improve chain‑of‑command and maintain necessary services without adding long‑term headcount. Several presenters and the President Judge stressed that most of the eliminations involved vacant positions and were not layoffs of current employees. Public commenters had urged higher pay and better staffing for the jail; commissioners referenced those concerns during deliberations. Several motions were amended on the floor (for example the veteran services temporary role limited through year‑end; part‑time court officer parameters clarified as 6 months or 1,000 hours). Where possible, presenters provided projected salary or budget impacts (e.g., $423,320 projected savings and approximately $123,000 total jail savings tied to structural changes). The board made no policy changes to union contracts during the session; several items noted future need for labor‑management agreement updates.

Next steps: Many of these actions create follow‑up personnel or reorganization tasks (job description updates, recruitment and reclassification paperwork) to be completed by human resources and the affected departments. Several commissioners signaled intent to review longer‑term staffing and pay strategies at future budget or reorganization sessions.

Ending: The salary board portion of the meeting adjourned after commissioners approved the personnel package and signaled additional reorganization items will be brought forward as departmental needs are finalized.