County council tries to shore up its staff
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Two recent resignations and a military leave have left Allegheny County Council with three full-time people and a temporary employee to handle jobs previously done by a staff of eight.
Council has advertised for a budget director to replace Jennifer Liptak and an executive secretary to follow Sonia Dietz, both of whom have moved across the hall in the county courthouse this month to join the administration of Rich Fitzgerald, the new county executive.
Ms. Liptak is Mr. Fitzgerald's chief of staff and Ms. Dietz is executive secretary and office manager.
"They will be tough to replace," Councilman Nick Futules, D-Oakmont, said of the two women. He is chairman of the executive committee, which oversees hiring for the county's 15-member council.
Council has advertised for candidates for the two jobs, making use of 50 different print publications, email searches and websites. The executive secretary's post will pay between $30,000 and $35,000. Salary for the budget director is roughly between $70,000 and $80,000.
Response has been high from people interested in the executive secretary job with 59 applicants, council members were told last week. Only four people have applied for the budget director's post.
Mr. Futules instructed staff members to seek additional candidates for the finance post.
Councilman Vince Gastgeb, R-Bethel Park, said he would favor hiring someone who already works for the county and was familiar with its operations.
His GOP colleague, Matt Drozd, of Ross, said the new budget director should have both the analytical skills to help evaluate county spending but also should be prepared to advise council on future problem areas.
The duties of the executive secretary include purchasing and payroll.
Council's budget allows a full-time staff of eight, but in recent years it has operated with six full-timers. "It means we have been short-staffed for two or three years," Councilman Michael Finnerty, D-Scott, said. Council should seek to fill at least one of the long-vacant positions, he said.
Council currently employs Jared Barker as director of legislature services while three people handle constituent services. In addition to the two slots that became vacant via recent resignations, the positions of council clerk and legislative assistant have been unfilled for more than two years.
The duties of council clerk have been divided between the budget director and the legislative director.
"I think we have to be conservative in hiring, since we have a limited budget," council President Charles Martoni, D- Swissvale, said. He, too, described the budget director's job as critical to county operations.
The county's home-rule charter, which created the executive-council form of government, requires the executive to propose a budget. But it is up to council to approve all spending and set the property tax rate.
"Developing and approving that budget is the most important single thing we do," Mr. Martoni said.
First Published January 30, 2012 12:00 am
