Salem Township auditors appoint chair, set roadmaster pay after debate over contractor delays

Salem Township — At a Jan. 6 re-organization meeting, the Salem Township Board of Auditors appointed Matt Rebitch as chair and Kelly Otto as secretary, and approved a series of pay and benefit rules for full- and part-time roadmasters while members debated a larger wage increase and reviewed a 2025 paving procurement that was not completed.

The board voted to set the full-time roadmaster hourly rate at $33.40, a 2.8% increase from 2025. The motion to set the rate was made by Matt Rebitch and carried by a 2–1 vote: Rebitch and Nick Cornell voted in favor and David Leitza voted against. Leitza had proposed a $34.00 rate but his motion failed for lack of a second.

Kerry Jobe, a township staff member who described the bidding process for 2025 paving work, said the township initially encountered bid-spec issues with Tresco, rebid the project, received three bids and ultimately awarded the Forbes Road contract to Redstone after a tied low-bid situation. "Redstone was awarded the bid in August and they never did the work even after several phone calls and e-mails," Kerry said, describing why the project did not proceed in 2025.

The paving discussion underscored tension during the wage debate. Nick Cornell said the proposed full-time increase was "too much of an increase and isn't fair to the taxpayers," while Rebitch argued a larger raise was not given in 2025 because no roads were paved that year. The board also discussed adding more roads to the 2026 paving program and whether Rock Springs Road, where a section was damaged by a plow truck, would be fully paved.

On related personnel measures, the auditors: set part-time roadmaster pay at $31.40 per hour (unanimous); established overtime at one-and-one-half times the hourly rate for hours worked over 40 per week (unanimous); set full-time vacation at 19 days with up to five days carryover (unanimous); approved sick-day accumulation rules permitting up to 30 days to be carried and paid out under specified conditions (unanimous); and approved a list of paid holidays and funeral leave provisions for full-time roadmasters (unanimous).

The board increased the boot allowance to $225 per year and approved the township's standard business mileage reimbursement at $0.725 per mile, citing PSATS notification. During that discussion, Matt Rebitch asked Bob Zundel whether he still uses a personal vehicle for township business; Zundel said he does use his truck. "You are entitled to reimbursement," Rebitch told Zundel.

The auditors also voted to table Resolution No. 01-2026, "A Resolution of the Board of Auditors of the Township of Salem, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Approving and Confirming the Compensation for Roadmasters for 2026," and scheduled a second auditors meeting on Jan. 21, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. to approve the minutes of Jan. 6 and adopt the resolution.

Votes at a glance

- Appoint Matt Rebitch as Chairperson (motion by David Leitza; second Nick Cornell): passed unanimously. - Appoint Kelly Otto as Secretary (motion by Nick Cornell; second David Leitza): passed unanimously. - Set full-time roadmaster wage at $33.40/hour (motion by Matt Rebitch; second Nick Cornell): passed 2–1 (Rebitch, Cornell yes; Leitza no). - Set part-time roadmaster wage at $31.40/hour: passed unanimously. - Overtime policy (time-and-one-half after 40 hours): passed unanimously. - Vacation, sick leave, holidays, funeral leave, benefits continuation, boot allowance ($225): each passed unanimously. - Mileage reimbursement at $0.725/mile: passed unanimously. - Table Resolution No. 01-2026 (motion by David Leitza; second Nick Cornell): passed unanimously; resolution to be considered Jan. 21.

The board adjourned at 6:46 p.m.; the auditors will reconvene on Jan. 21, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. to finalize minutes and adopt Resolution No. 01-2026.