One Carbon County official has some reservations about two actions regarding the creation of three positions because he felt there was either a redundancy or could potentially cost the county more in the long run.

On Thursday, the county salary board voted 4-1 to change the rate of one captain trainee from $23.65 per hour to $24.36 per hour, effective Dec. 3. Commissioner Chris Lukasevich cast the sole no vote.

He said his no vote was because he felt that it was an “unnecessary redundancy” in the sheriff’s office leadership.

He would later also vote no on the personnel report to the status change of Karen S. Flexer of Lehighton, from lieutenant to captain trainee.

Lukasevich said the no vote to the status change was only because of his previous vote on the salary board motion, adding that he has full confidence of the nominee to assume the position.

Lukasevich also voted no to establishing the positions of two corrections assessors at $65 per hour, effective Jan. 21, 2021, not to exceed a total of 300 hours each.

The motion passed 3-1.

The corrections assessor positions are independent contractors who will be put on as temporary part-time employees during the evaluation of the correctional facility, Sheriff Anthony Harvilla, president of the prison board, said.

He noted that the discussion began when the new prison board was seated in January.

At that time, officials wanted to do an overall assessment of the operations of the prison, as well as the physical building.

The two individuals have extensive experience in corrections and one has already completed an evaluation like the one Carbon is requesting, Harvilla noted.

Through negotiations, Harvilla said it was determined that the individuals should be brought on as temporary employees “to allow them to conduct evaluations in person at the correctional facility and then provide a report to the prison board on recommendations for improvements at the prison.”

Lukasevich voiced his reservations with making the two independent consultants part-time employees because of the “unknown cost of (any) workers’ compensation claim (that could be filed if they are injured while doing the evaluation) that could literally go on for an indefinite period of time given the fact that they will be working in a high liability part of the county.”

Other actions

The salary board also approved the following salary items:

• Sheriff’s office: Change the rate of one part-time security officer from $13.99 per hour to $11.38 per hour, effective Dec. 3.

• Children and Youth: Establish the positions of three county caseworkers II at $17.51 per hour, effective Dec. 3.

• Commissioners: Change the rate of one part-time parking/meter attendant from $10.32 per hour to $10.63 per hour, effective Dec. 7.

• Human resources: Establish on-call pay at the rate of $40 per day retroactive to Nov. 1.

• Pocono Counties Workforce Development Agency: Change the rate of one administrator from $21.85 per hour to $22.51 per hour, effective Dec. 23; abolish the position of one intake officer at $21.52 per hour, effective Dec. 12.