Luzerne County manager plans salary cap increases for vacant division head positions

Luzerne County Manager Randy Robertson told county council he plans to increase the salary caps of three top vacant division head positions to $99,500, according to an email furnished by council members.

“I believe we are simply not competitive in attracting the best and brightest candidates,” Robertson wrote. “While our benefit packages appear to be favorable, in this era of under 3% unemployment, highly qualified applicants for these extremely challenging and highly complex positions are likely not considering Luzerne.”

The vacant positions — chief solicitor and the operational and administrative services division heads — would have to be reposted in coming days to incorporate the new caps if Robertson proceeds with the plan. Although he is free to change the salaries under the county’s home rule charter, he must give council advance notice.

The administration already publicly posted the positions earlier this month, with the idea of providing a pool of available applicants for Robertson shortly after he started as manager June 13.

Applications were due Monday for the administrative services division head opening advertised at $90,000.

Tuesday is the deadline for the operational services division head position, also posted at $90,000, and the chief solicitor/law division head position posted at $96,000.

Robertson told council the new $99,500 cap would be a not-to-exceed figure that would depend on skills, experience and education.

“We may not immediately offer this to a prime candidate, but it should stimulate and enhance the potential for higher, more experienced applicants,” he wrote.

Robertson included a compensation chart with his communication, saying it “measures my concerns.”

The information came from some similarly-sized, third-class counties in the state with comparable positions that had provided data to the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania for its salary survey in 2021, it said.

• Chief solicitor

Romilda Crocamo, the last non-interim chief solicitor, received $96,444 in that division head position. She had served as acting manager and resigned last month.

The compensation for the solicitors or chief solicitors in other counties: Lancaster, $126,000; Chester, $123,600; Berks, $123,400; York, $123,100; and Westmoreland, $96,042, the chart said.

• Administrative services

Prior division head David Parsnik was receiving $90,874 annually when he resigned in September.

The compensation for comparable positions in other counties, according to the chart: Cumberland, deputy chief clerk (currently vacant), $96,000 to $146,000; Berks, chief administrative officer, $117,000; Northampton, administrator of administration, $110,000; and Erie, administration director, $92,800.

• Operational services

Edmund O’Neill was receiving $91,087 as operational services division head when he resigned in January.

The compensation for facilities and public works directors in other counties, the chart said: Chester, $125,000; Cumberland, $118,800; Berks, $105,500; and Northampton, $105,300.

In Robertson’s communication to council, he said he believes the county has a “few systemic challenges in some areas.”

“In some instances, there are departments possibly at or near being broken. As a ‘people’ organization that serves people, in my estimation the root causes start with our top leadership,” he wrote.

Robertson said he is hopeful new collective bargaining agreements with five unions will provide “some relief measures” for many non-management workers.

“However, in some cases, especially pertaining to our senior leadership (e.g. departmental and division chiefs), even after a week it seems obvious immediate attention and action is required,” he wrote.

Two of the possibly most important county leadership positions — the administrative and operational division heads — have been unfilled for some time, he wrote.

Crocamo had decided — without council objection — to leave division head selections up to the permanent manager. The county’s home rule charter limits interim division head appointments to 90 days, resulting in multiple workers handling temporary oversight at different periods.

“I understand and respect the logic used in holding them vacant, but in hindsight that appears to have exacerbated some challenges in a few subordinate departments,” Robertson wrote, adding that the 90-day interim appointments have “further complicated the situation.”

The operational services division head must oversee the physical operation of the county, including all aspects of infrastructure. The division includes the engineering, road/bridge, planning/zoning, 911, emergency management, building/grounds, boiler plant and solid waste departments.

The administrative services division head oversees eight departments: elections, human resources, purchasing/acquisition, information technology, GIS/mapping, licensing/permits, community development and tourism.

While discussing the plan to raise the three division head caps, Robertson noted “there is ample evidence that once we have secured, invested in and trained our employees, they are prime targets to be syphoned away.”

Even at the elevated caps, compensation for the three will remain at the lower or lowest level to comparable counties, he wrote, referring to figures in the chart.

“However, I feel a higher potential at this time might adversely affect other division directors,” he wrote.

The county has eight division heads. Based on a compensation report released by the administration in January, here are the salaries of the others: Brian Swetz, budget/finance, $96,337; Lynn Hill, human services, $94,280; Mark Rockovich, correctional services, $87,872; Joan Hoggarth, judicial services and records, $87,442; and Stephen Greenwald, chief public defender, $100,616.

Contacted Monday, Robertson said he did not know his communication would be released to the media but stands by what is written.

Robertson said he is hopeful he will have council’s “assistance and cooperation” to address compensation issues in a prudent way.

He told council members attending his welcome gathering last week he is particularly concerned about a high number of vacant positions at both 911 and Children and Youth and that he needs resources to fix the problem.

Five union contracts expired the end of 2021 for the AFSCME residual union, AFSCME court-related union and Teamsters Local 401-represented employees in Children and Youth, Mental Health/Developmental Services and the Area Agency on Aging.