Luzerne County releases non-union compensation increases

Luzerne County’s human resources department released a report Monday on 2024 raises granted to non-union employees under the county manager’s supervision.

Most increases were 2.5%, although some received 2% or no raise.

Increases were merit-based following employee performance reviews.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo emphasized the increases were factored into the budget approved by county council.

“We stayed within those budgetary confines,” Crocamo said.

Increases in non-union compensation show the administration and council recognize the work performed by these workers, Crocamo said.

“By increasing non-union wages, the administration and council aim to promote a positive work environment, boost employee morale and attract and retain top talent,” she said. “The decision to increase non-union wages reflects the council’s commitment to equitable compensation practices and ensuring that all employees are fairly remunerated for their work.”

The workers, along with their new compensation and percentage increase:

• Council

Sharon Lawrence, council clerk, $46,899 (2.5%)

• County Manager

Michele Sparich, grant writer, $59,185 (2.5%)

Jennifer Thomas, executive administrative assistant, $50,557 (2.5%)

• Human Resources

Jessica Beishline, human resources director, $92,147 (2.5%)

Neva Colella, HR generalist, $44,789 (2.5%)

Cynthia Kluk, HR generalist, $43,050 (2.5%)

• Budget and Finance

Peggy Baloga, internal audit clerk, $45,138 (2%)

Erin Chiogna, budget and policy clerk, $36,778 (2%)

Lee Ann Holub, bank rec clerk, $31,202 (2%)

Mary Roselle, budget/finance division head, $117,875 (2.5%)

• Assessors

Kristin Montgomery, director of assessments, $62,730 (2.5%)

• Treasurer

Laura Beers, office manager, $60,892 (2.5%)

David Muroski, accountant, $61,206 (2.5%)

• Mapping

Daniel Reese, GIS director, $66,764 (2.5%)

Patrick Farrell Sine, senior GIS analyst, $52,275 (2.5%)

• Purchasing

Mary Ann Amesbury, purchasing director, $57,053 (2.5%)

• Solicitor

Patrick Della Valle, solicitor, $72,498 (2.5%)

Mackenzie Gagliardi, executive secretary, $44,956 (2.5%)

Mark Makowski, solicitor, $71,233 (2.5%)

Paula Radick, solicitor, $67,252 (2.5%)

Harry Skene, chief county solicitor, $100,890 (2.5%)

• Public Defender

Alison Evans, office administrator, $46,304 (2.5%)

Bruce Reddock, chief investigator, $66,625 (2.5%)

Randy Shaw, deputy chief investigator, $49,908 (2.5%)

Joseph Yeager, chief public defender, $105,194 (2.5%)

• Recorder of Deeds

Mary K. Dysleski, recorder of deeds/register of wills manager, $61,301 (2.5%)

• Planning and Zoning

Priscilla Cuevas, planning/zoning analyst, $47,047 (2.5%)

Matthew Jones, planning/zoning director, $68,250 (2.5%)

Jonathan Shaw, transportation planner, $50,706 (2.5%)

• Information Technology

Peter Ackourey, network administrator, $56,161 (2%)

Jeffrey Bennett, IT analyst, $62,424 (2%)

Matthew Hannon, information security analyst, $56,181 (2%)

Jordan Hine, network administrator 2, $53,040 (2%)

Edward E. James III, IT service manager, $62, 424 (2%)

Peter Charles Triolo, help desk technician, $43,697 (2%)

• Building and Grounds

Carla Alber, executive secretary, $35,893 (2%)

• Boiler Plant

Robert Richard Dudick, mechanical systems engineer, $40,508 (2.5%)

• Coroner

Joseph Jacobs, chief deputy coroner, $49,831 (2.5%)

Kaitlin Keating-Storz, senior field investigator/autopsy assistant, $41,000 (2.5%)

Jillian Matthews, coroner, $65866 (2.5%)

• Prothonotary

Michelle Bednar, prothonotary/clerk of courts manager, $54,325 (2.5%)

Joan Hoggarth, judicial services and records division head, $96,862 (2.5%)

James Jesikiewicz, fiscal supervisor, $42,429 (2%)

• Sheriff

Genesis Arias, lieutenant, $44,983 (2%)

Ryan Foy, lieutenant, $50,894 (2.5%)

Eugene Gurnari, chief deputy sheriff, $59,594 (2.5%)

Brian Szumski, sheriff, $68,635 (2.5%)

Alfred Walsh, lieutenant, $44,983 (2%)

• DA Highway and DUI

Rebecca Rybak, highway safety education coordinator, $40,838 (2%)

• Corrections Administration

Karen Krzysik, budget/finance analyst, $48,348 (2.5%)

Deborah Schloss, administrative assistant, $38,391 (2.5%)

James Wilbur, correctional services division head, $96,862 (2.5%)

Patricia Yudichak, executive secretary, $37,638 (2.5%)

• Prison Minimal Offenders Unit

Stanley Betkoski, lieutenant, $66,903 (2.5%)

Kaitlyn Romiski, lieutenant, $66,856 (2%)

Fred White III, lieutenant, $68,179 (2.5%)

• County Correctional Facility

Francis Aigeldinger, records captain, $69,003 (2.5%)

John Brawley, lieutenant, $69,578 (2.5%)

Ronald Bronsburg, captain, $67,650 (2.5%)

Michael Konycki, lieutenant, $64,575 (2.5%)

Dwayne McDavitt, lieutenant, $64,575 (2.5%)

Sean Mulhearn, classification specialist, $40,692 (2.5%)

Christina Oprishko, treatment coordinator, $54,453 (2.5%)

John Robshaw, deputy warden, $75,276 (2.5%)

Thomas Wall, captain, $69,003 (2.5%)

• 911

Brian Black, training and quality assurance coordinator, $63,038 (2.5%)

William Ives, deputy director, $74,825 (2.5%)

Ryan Thomas Kane, PSAP supervisor, $54,519 (2%)

Gina Krone, PSAP manager, $71,750 (2.5%)

Frank Lasiewicki, technical support supervisor, $58,425 (2.5%)

Stephen McDaniels, PSAP supervisor, $58,589 (2.5%)

Christopher Meeker, radio support coordinator, $62,012 (2.5%)

Patricia Petriga, lead PSAP supervisor, $61,200 (2%)

Kai Riddick, PSAP supervisor, $53,550 (2%)

Jacob Schmitt, PSAP supervisor, $55,780 (2.5%)

David Skoronski, Next Gen 911 GIS manager, $72,775 (2.5%)

Barbara Wesley, training and protocol supervisor, $57,120 (2%)

Andrew Zahorsky, technical support manager, $68,004 (2.5%)

• Emergency Management

Timothy Chase, emergency planning specialist, $35,876 (2.5%)

David Elmore, deputy director, $55,006 (2.5%)

Charles Krommes, emergency management planner, $38,257 (2.5%)

Ronald Smith, Act 165 coordinator, $39,729 (2.5%)

• Road and Bridge

Kevin Clocker, road and bridge project manager, $61,500 (2.5%)

• Veteran Affairs

James Spagnola, director, $59,681 (2.5%)

• Community Development

Michelle Fennell, housing manager, $51,426 (2.5%)

Catherine Hilsher, executive director, $87,125 (2.5%)

Mark Hurst, municipal projects manager, $53,711 (2.5%)

Jay Zupa, public service manager, $48,710 (2%)

• Convention and Visitors Bureau

Sarah Harris, sales and marketing director, $55,934 (2.5%)

Rachel Linso, membership and marketing coordinator, $42,025 (2.5%)

Gaye Nowak, office coordinator, $32,792 (2.5%)

Alan K. Stout, director, $67,957 (2.5%)

• Area Agency on Aging

James Cease, IT generalist administrator, $61,249 (2.5%)

Timothy Farrell, fiscal officer 3, $67,435 (2.5%)

Susan Harding, care manager supervisor 2, $65,281 (2%)

Brian McAdarra, care manager supervisor 2, $50,184 (2.5%)

Sheila Rothenbecker, administrative assistant 1, $38,035 (2.5%)

Mary Schell, care manager supervisor 3, $60,681 (2.5%)

Connie Wright, care manager supervisor 2, $48,960 (2%)

• Children and Youth

Heather Asay, caseworker manager 2, $60,343 (2%)

Donna Domiano, caseworker manager 2, $73,338 (2%)

Ellen Dymond, administrative assistant, $54,810 (2%)

Georgine Faux, administrative officer 1, $51,403 (2%)

Rachel Finnegan, attorney 2, $60,186 (2.5%)

Paul Galante, supervisory attorney 3, $80,227 (2%)

Tara Golomb, clerical supervisor 2, $39,535 (2%)

Katrina Gownley, director, $92,250 (2.5%)

Christopher Harrison, attorney 2, $63,540 (2.5%)

David Maslowski, network specialist 2, $49,939 (2%)

Nicholas Seaman, attorney 2, $59,892 (2%)

William Urbanski, attorney 2, $59,892 (2%)

• Mental Health/Developmental Services

Tara Fox, MH/DS administrator, $84,038 (2.5%)

Joan Kaminski, administrative assistant 2, $56,875 (2.5%)

Amy Tomkoski, deputy administrator 2, $68,432 (2.5%)

• Human Services

Jonathan Bates, fiscal officer 3, $66,300 (2%)

Alicia Govens, fiscal officer 2, $56,980 (2.5%)

David Green, fiscal officer 2, $56,980 (2.5%)

Lynn Hill, human services division head, $103,797 (2.5%)

Caitlyn Holland, fiscal officer 3, $67,957 (2.5%)

Crystal Jennings, budget analyst 1, $43,137 (2.5%)

James Kolojejchick, program coordinator, $51,540 (2.5%)

Charyl Nagy, HR business partner, $53,300 (2.5%)

Susan Nat, administrative assistant, $42,911 (2.5%)

Maria Pavlick, financial analyst, $53,539 (2.5%)

Joseph Unvarsky, maintenance/facilities coordinator, $38,077 (2.5%)

• Drug and Alcohol

Pamela Coveleski, fiscal officer, $61,018 (2.5%)

Michael Gagliardi, assistant administrator, $62,730 (2.5%)

Michelle Galey, case management specialist, $46,265 (2.5%)

Joy Gavrish, case management specialist, $44,031 (2.5%)

Bianca Gibbons, case management specialist, $43,380 (2.5%)

Ryan Hogan, administrator, $79,706 (2.5%)

Dawn McQuiston, case management specialist, $43,814 (2.5%)

Jill Sprau, case management supervisor, $53,094 (2.5%)

Controller, District Attorney

County Controller Walter Griffith provided a 2.5% raise to one employee — internal auditor Melissa Jones — because she moved into a different position with additional responsibilities, he said. Her new compensation is $39,695, the report said.

County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce provided 5% increases with one exception. Brian Sarafinko, the auto theft task force operator, received 7.88%, bringing his compensation to $60,000, the report said. Sanguedolce said this position is fully funded by an outside grant and that the compensation was necessary to bring Sarafinko’s compensation more in line with the amount paid to counterparts in other counties.

Sanguedolce said he had submitted the 5% compensation increases in his budget as part of ongoing employee retention efforts.

“We’re just trying to keep the wages competitive so we stop losing employees,” he said.

The DA stressed he always keeps spending within budget and relies on a mix of funding from grants, state stipends, drug forfeitures, the county and other sources to cover staffing expenses.

The non-union DA employees receiving 5% increases, along with their new compensation, according to the county report:

Kelley Conner, executive assistant, $49,350

Patricia Courtney, executive secretary, $46,200

Chester Dudick, deputy district attorney, $101,850

Anne Frey, community outreach coordinator, $36,091

Amanda Nicole Gilmer, office administrator, $49,350

Michelle Giza, case manager, $64,050

Kristina Jordan, opioid outreach coordinator, $44,100

Carly Levandoski, special victims division chief, $75,600

Daniel Marsh, DUI division chief, $78,750

Sherry Middleton, fiscal clerk, $49,350

Daniel Mulhern, major crimes division chief, $75,600

William Patton, gun violence reduction agent, $54,600

Anthony Ross, first assistant district attorney, $110,250

Larry Whitehead, drug task force coordinator, $59,850

Daniel Zola, deputy district attorney — narcotics, $94,500

*Narcotics agents, $53,550 each

*The names of three undercover narcotics agents were withheld by the Times Leader to protect their safety due to the nature of their work.