During his first annual report as Luzerne County controller, Walter Griffith told county council he is embracing his new role.
”I can’t tell you how humbled and honored I am to be in this position, and I thank each and every resident who voted to put me here to serve the people,” Griffith said in the presentation last week, which is required by the county’s home rule charter.
Previously a county councilman, Griffith took office as the elected controller Jan. 3. The 67-year-old Kingston Township Republican received 30,341 votes in the Nov. 2 general election, or 1,409 more than incumbent Democrat Michelle Bednar’s 28,932.
Describing the controller post as “one of the most critical positions” in county government, Griffith said he will keep an eye on county policies and procedures and perform audits of tax collectors and finances.
However, he said the controller should be willing to work with others to improve the county. He said he wants to be helpful to council and the manager and executive branch by instructing and enlightening them on “shortcomings and places where things can be more efficient.”
”I’ve grown, and I’ve become more mature and tempered, and so I have absolutely no problem trying to work with any member of council to provide information which you may need that you possibly can’t get from any other source,” Griffith said.
He said he has had a “very good relationship so far” with the executive branch and described the county information technology department as “spectacular” in its assistance setting up his office in recent months.
Under home rule, the controller serves as an independent watchdog over county fiscal and management activities and has authority to conduct fiscal, performance, management and compliance audits of any county department as well as the county’s authorities, boards and commissions.
The office has “incredible authority and ability to identify” problems, but it has no authority to force anyone to follow its recommendations, he said. He called on council and the manager to correct any findings and recommendations his office produces over the next four years.
On the subject of IT, Griffith said he will comply with County Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo’s request to perform a computer and technology inventory.
This will include a verification of all equipment and analysis to determine if all department budgets accurately reflect their receipt and usage of technology, he said.
Grouping all technology expenses under the IT budget is not fair to that department and presents an inaccurate “picture of the spending” for council as it approves and monitors the budget, he said.
His 2022 plans also include:
• Tax collector compliance audits
• A review of election bureau filing fees and campaign finance reports to ensure the busy bureau is collecting all revenue owed
• Development of a system to ensure all residents are reimbursed if they paid the $5 vehicle registration fee after the county halted it at the end of 2021.
• Audits of three or four of the county’s 16 magisterial district judge offices.
• Contract and purchasing procedure assessments
• Audit of the prison commissary fund
Griffith also credited Bednar and her staff for a “fabulous job” on some of the audits completed in 2021.
Staff
Griffith said he had to shuffle funds within his office to increase the compensation for a deputy controller.
“One of the things council is very aware of from the district attorney’s presentation as well as County Acting Manager Crocamo’s is that the problem we’re having in the county is the ability to hire qualified people at the salaries we pay,” he said.
Griffith said he discovered this in January when he tried to find a deputy controller at $50,900.
The deputy is responsible for all decisions if the elected controller is absent. He is seeking one of the following minimum qualifications for the deputy: a master’s degree in accounting or business administration; a bachelor’s degree in accounting, economics or business administration and one year of relevant experience; an associate’s degree in accounting, economics or business and three years of relevant experience; or a high school diploma and five years of relevant experience.
Due to the lack of response for qualified applicants at $50,900, Griffith said he tapped funds council had allocated for a merit raise and reduced another salary to boost the deputy controller compensation to $58,000.
“We advertised that position three times since January, and we’re still trying to get somebody to fill that position, even at $58,000,” Griffith said.
The job posting is on the human resources department career opportunities section at luzernecounty.org.
Griffith also increased a senior auditor position from $49,322 to $50,000 but reduced an internal auditor position from $36,189 to $32,145, his report shows. The remaining auditor position remained the same at $40,096, it said.
The elected controller receives $64,999.
Budget
Griffith said the office spent $261,317.50 last year, crediting Bednar for saving $12,233.50 from the budgeted amount.
Council allocated $278,437 for the office this year, including $241,562 for employee salaries, his report said.
For comparison purposes, his report highlighted the controller’s office budgets in two other home rule counties with similar populations: Northampton County, which has an annual budget of $898,700, including $444,594 for salaries, and Lehigh County, which has an $848,201 budget that includes $569,085 for salaries, it said.
Griffith said the controller’s offices in Northampton and Lehigh handle some additional accounts payable services, but there is still a “stark difference” compared to his office’s budget.
Still, he emphasized he is not “in any way” pushing council to earmark additional funds for the office. Griffith said he understands budget challenges and the need to avoid real estate tax hikes from his experience on council.
He encouraged residents with concerns to contact the office’s “citizens and employees suggestion and idea line,” called CESIL, at 570-830-5154 or by email at CESIL@luzernecounty.org.