Commissioners, citing increased work load, hike pay for three treasurer’s office employees

LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Clinton County Commissioners, along with County Treasurer Michelle Kunes, on Thursday approved annual pay increases of $2,500 for three treasury office employees. They are First Deputy Treasurer Kristy Serafini-Brooks, Assistant Tax Claim Director Kathy Smith and Second Deputy Treasurer Kathy Nearhood.

The increases are effective as of March 21; according to the commissioners’ agenda, the hikes are in “recognition of increased workload due to handling tax collections for additional municipalities.”

As explained by board chairman Miles Kessinger, 16 county municipalities have chosen not to collect their own taxes, that job now done by the county treasurer’s office. Since the county no longer has to pay those municipalities to collect the taxes, Kessinger said, all that money now flows to the county, causing the additional processing; even with the additional compensation to the three county employees, the change has resulted in what he termed “a somewhat healthy return” to the county, some $13,000 or $14,000; that’s more than the additional payout to the three employees, he said.