CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Commissioners on Tuesday voted to approve a new, tentative four-year contract with the county’s prison guards.
The new contract, which was unanimously approved by a 3-0 board vote, covers 28 prison employees and will run through Dec. 31, 2025.
It includes wage increases of $2/hour in year one (retroactive to Jan. 1, 2022), $1/hour in year two and $0.80/hour in years three and four.
The new contract bumps the starting wage from $10.59/hour to $15/hour, which Commissioner Dave Glass said, should help with staffing shortages.
“[The starting wage bump] was really important,” Glass said. “At $10.59 in the current environment, we just couldn’t find very many people to take that so we had to become more competitive.”
The contract contains changes to employee health insurance benefits, including the additions of a deductible and spousal exclusion policy.
Spousal exclusion means that the employees’ spouses who have access to other coverage through their own employer, Medicare, etc., are now not eligible for coverage.
“They wanted higher wages and we see the need for more competitive wages, but they had the Cadillac of healthcare plans,” Glass said, “so there had to be some give and take.”
In January of 2023, there will also be pension changes in effect for new hires only that Glass said will produce a significant savings for the county further down the line.
The county’s court-related, court-appointed and residual employee groups are still without new contracts, and set for arbitration Wednesday.
“But we’d love to make a deal,” Glass said, adding that either way he hopes for a quick resolution. “That would be best for both sides, I think.”
Also, on Tuesday, the commissioners approved Resolution 2022-5, authorizing the Redevelopment Authority’s application for Community Development Block Grant/COVID funding.
The application seeks $1.2 million for the Cooper Township Municipal Authority to replace a series of waterlines in the village of Munson in Morris Township.
The lines serve approximately 26 homes along Pheasant Drive, Old Turnpike Road and a very small section along Hardscrabble Road, according to Lisa Kovalick, Redevelopment Authority director.
“These lines are at least 50 years old,” Kovalick said, “prone to breakage and frequently incapable of providing the necessary water flow to meet the minimum needs of customers.”
This project is mandated by a consent order and agreement with the state Department of Environmental Protection as a result of unaccounted water losses in excess of 70 percent, Kovalick noted.