Northumberland County Salary Board approves package of personnel pay adjustments

Northumberland County’s Salary Board approved multiple salary adjustments and starting-pay changes during a short meeting on Oct. 29, 2025, voting by voice for most items and formally ratifying several changes that take effect on various dates in 2025 and 2026.

Chairman Schicatano opened the meeting and announced it had been duly advertised. The board approved minutes from Dec. 3, 2024, and then considered a string of personnel actions that were presented as ratifications. A recurring procedural remark from board leadership stated that any salary adjustments made during 2025 would render affected employees ineligible for a raise in 2026.

Key adjustments included setting the salary for the county drug and alcohol administrator at $62,000 per year (40 hours per week), and increasing the Northumberland County Jail captain’s pay by $2,000 effective Oct. 20, 2025; staff confirmed the captain’s position would become exempt from overtime accumulation. The board also set the warden’s starting salary at $62,000 (effective June 25, 2025) and the deputy warden at $57,000 (effective June 26, 2025). The warden’s assistant’s starting salary was set at $40,000 effective Nov. 3, 2025, with intent to make the position exempt.

Sheriff Robert Wolf was present for a vote affecting his office; the board increased the chief deputy’s salary by $1,000 effective Oct. 20, 2025. That item included a roll-call check of at least the controller and the sheriff, both recorded as voting yes; other items were passed by voice vote. The board also approved a $65,000 starting salary for the children and youth administrator effective Aug. 4, 2025; set a program specialist/ID director role to $62,000 effective Oct. 20, 2025; and established a $48,000 starting salary for the budget finance director effective Sept. 8, 2025.

Behavioral-health staffing changes included a program specialist 2, mental health director position set at $62,000 (effective upon hire) and an adjustment to set the BHIDS administrator salary at $71,000 effective Oct. 20, 2025. The board voted to table agenda items 13 and 14.

All motions were carried as presented. Where the transcript records only voice votes, the board chair called for “all in favor” and the motion was noted as carried. The meeting concluded with no public input and no new business.

Votes at a glance

- Drug and alcohol administrator — set to $62,000/year, 40 hrs/wk; effective 06/02/2025; ratified; outcome: approved. - Jail captain — increase of $2,000; effective 10/20/2025; outcome: approved (position to become exempt from overtime accrual). - Warden (Northumberland County Jail) — starting salary set to $62,000/year; effective 06/25/2025; ratified; outcome: approved. - Deputy warden — salary set to $57,000/year; effective 06/26/2025; ratified; outcome: approved. - Warden’s assistant — salary set to $40,000/year; effective 11/03/2025; intent to make exempt; outcome: approved. - Chief deputy (Sheriff’s Office) — increase of $1,000; effective 10/20/2025; roll-call recorded at least Controller and Sheriff as yes; outcome: approved. - Children and youth administrator — starting salary $65,000/year; effective 08/04/2025; ratified; outcome: approved. - Program specialist / ID director — salary $62,000/year; effective 10/20/2025; outcome: approved. - Budget finance director — starting salary $48,000/year; effective 09/08/2025; ratified; outcome: approved. - Program specialist 2, mental health director — salary $62,000/year; effective upon hire; outcome: approved. - BHIDS administrator — salary $71,000/year; effective 10/20/2025; outcome: approved.

What the meeting did not resolve

The board tabled agenda items 13 and 14 and recorded no additional public comment or other new business. The board stated repeatedly that employees receiving an adjustment in 2025 would not be eligible for a 2026 raise; the statement was presented as a board-wide policy for the 2026 budget cycle during the meeting.