City Nonunion Employees Unofficially to Receive 2.55% Maximum Wage Increase


By Scott Johnson


LOCK HAVEN – In two rare split votes, Mayor Bill Baney cast the deciding vote on each, which involved the same subject at Monday night’s City Council meeting.


The issue was over a motion to approve, on first reading, “setting the salaries and wages of nonunion employees for 2020 (reflecting an average 2.55 percent increase).


City Manager Greg Wilson said the pay increase is mirrored after the increase AFSCME union members of the city in its contract. He added both union and nonunion raises are met with an increase of 6 to 7 percent of the employee match for health and dental insurance premiums.
”The 2.55 percent increase in wages are meant to somewhat offset the increase in employees insurance costs,” Wilson said.


Shortly after a motion to approve the increases, Councilman Richard Conklin objected, saying that the item should include no employee receiving “more” than a 2.55 percent wage increase.
Councilman Doug Byerly then asked if Conklin’s proposed amendment would also include the city’s director of licenses and permits. After Conklin affirmed that, Byerly responded, “I agree very strongly with that.”


”That’s their job,” Byerly said. “A 2.55 percent (wage) increase is suitable for this coming year.”
”It should be a fixed number, in my mind, for all staff,” Conklin said.


The vote for the original motion was 3-4 against, with Councilmen Joel Long, Richard Morris and Steve Stevenson voting “yes;” and Conkin, Byerly and Councilman Bill Mincer voting “no.” Mayor Baney then cast the last deciding vote for “no.”


Conklin then introduced an amendment to the original motion to have a maximum of 2.55 percent for all employees. After council unanimously agreed to the amendment, Stevenson said he was opposed to the amendment because it may hurt the city with new hires. “There should always be adjustments,” he said.


The vote for the amended ordinance with the wage-increase maximum was passed 4-3 with all votes flip-flopping from the original motion. A second, and final, reading of the ordinance will be held at council’s next meeting on Monday, Dec. 9.


Council also held a first reading of the city’s proposed $13.3-million no-tax-increase budget.
There were no comments from the public, city agencies and organization, and council members before the budget unanimously passed on first reading. A second and final reading will be held next Monday night.

Council also unanimously approved having city Solicitor Justin Houser send the Court of Common Pleas the city’s response to the UPMC Susquehanna (Lock Haven Hospital)’s appeal of continuing the facility as a taxable property, instead of UPMC’s request for tax-exempt status.
Wilson previously said UPMC Susquehanna is the city’s largest taxable property and land at around $75,000 of city taxes.


Stevenson asked Wilson if the city has any legal grounds. Wilson responded Houser is engaging with the other affected taxing bodies (Keystone Central School District and County of Clinton).
”He is actively pursuing it,” Wilson said.


Mincer asked whether UPMC can be considered one entity and if the city could join other state municipalities in their responses. Wilson responded UPMC is viewed as a sub-division of its parent company.


Conklin, who had been involved in the medical field for the last several decades, noted almost all of UPMC’s buildings in Pittsburgh are tax-exempt and its buildings in the state’s Northern Tier have always been tax-exempt.

Mincer noted UPMC as a company as a whole had a $19 billion profit in 2018, and top executives made millions of dollars in salaries. “It seems odd to me,” he said.


In another matter, council unanimously approved sending an application for the PA Small Water/Sewer Program for Susquehanna Avenue sewer pipe repairs. Wilson said the project is estimated at $500,000, which is the grant’s maximum.


He said the city will apply for a $225,000 grant with a $75,000 city match from the capital projects line-item of the sewer fund. “Without this grant, this project will not take place,” Wilson said 

Director of Community Life Kasey Campbell said Monday night’s meeting was streamed live and should be available on Youtube on the city’s Website.


No public members attended Monday night’s meeting.