North Huntingdon commissioner questions $22K in raises for township department heads

Eight of North Huntingdon’s top officials are in line for raises ranging from 3% to 6% for next year, despite one township commissioner questioning what they did to earn a pay raise for 2020.

The pay raises, which commissioners approved by a 5-1 vote on Wednesday, will cost the township $22,311, said Commissioner Brian Blasko, who cast the lone opposing vote.

Blasko said that he did not receive any specific information he requested from department heads explaining what they accomplished “above and beyond their daily duties” to earn pay raises above the inflation rate of 2.1%. The commissioners received vague subjective descriptions of what the department heads did and their suggested pay raise, Blasko said.

One employee received a remark of simply “OK” for progress this year, Blasko said. That person was recommended for a 3% raise. What incentive is there to work harder “when everyone is going to receive the same reward, regardless of the quality of work,” Blasko questioned.

Blasko said he could not justify raising the pay that much, based on the information he received. If the pay raises of 2.1% were given across the board, the total cost would drop to $12,534, Blasko said.

Among the department heads, Daniel Miller, of parks and recreation, will receive a 6% raise — or $4,232. Jeff Silka, township manager, will receive a 5% raise — or $5,720, the largest amount of any raises approved. Six other top officials all received 3% raises, ranging from about $1,300 to $2,700.

While reducing pay hikes is one way of cutting costs, Commissioner Zachary Haigis, board president, said the township could save about $500,000 if it were to eliminate the emergency dispatching services and have Westmoreland County handle those duties.

Haigis had floated the idea during budget discussions last month, but fellow board members did not support him.

Chief Robert Rizzo defended the locally operated emergency dispatching services, saying the workers know the community and perform other duties in the department.

North Huntingdon will have to make difficult budget choices in the next year to reduce costs, Haigis said.