Tens of Thousands of dollars in Cambria County’s budget was approved to go to five county employees at the end of last year.
But those who are not getting a stipend are reacting.
Early last April Cambria County Chief Clerk Michael Gelles died.
“When Mike passed away we had a lot of people fill in, picked up the slack.”
In the final Commissioners meeting of the 2023 the salary board voted to approve about 70 thousand dollars of stipend money to be given to five employees in the Commissioners and Controllers offices
in a three to one vote with the Commissioners and Controller.
County controller ed cernic says it was his proposal to use the county money in part for staff in his office.
“Money we had budgeted for salary and benefits for the chief clerk. We paid that from that budegt money, so we didn’t incure any extra budget costs.”
The one vote opposing the stipends was now President Commissioner Scott Hunt.
“When I look at these issues I try to make my decisions based on being fair and consistent and I just don’t believe that they were the right thing to do.”
Several row offices are speaking out against the decision.
The Prothonotary Lisa Crynock writes in a statement
“Mr. Cernic worked these stipends in under the radar and at the expense of my office, other county offices, and at the expense of the taxpayer.
As a salaried employee and elected official, it is expected that we work a 40+ hour workweek. It comes with the territory”
The salary board says it stands by the decision
“I applaud every row office. I applaud every elected official and department head and every day is a budget day. But that’s the decision we made in the 2023 budget.”
“I don’t regret my vote. I don’t regret my recommendation to the commissioners. When people say to me that you’re being unfair, you’re doing this here, in my heart I don’t believe it.”