from the BCCT:
By: JENNA PORTNOY
Bucks County Courier Times
Republican commissioners hired two employees Wednesday without advertising the positions - as the Democratic commissioner says Bucks County protocol should have required.
Commissioner Diane Marseglia said secrecy around hires allows for political patronage or favoritism, while Commissioners Jim Cawley and Charley Martin said candidates' qualifications alone determine whether they get jobs.
Cawley and Martin hired an administrative assistant for public information. The hire will earn $30,992 a year plus benefits and replaces an employee who transferred to another department.
The other hire is a legal secretary, who will work part time for $19 an hour while being trained by her predecessor. Cawley and Martin said they consider the job a confidential position, meaning it should not have to be advertised.
No other candidates were interviewed for the jobs.
"With 9 percent unemployment, we interviewed one person each and took no applications?" Marseglia said. "How did these two people know to send their resumes in for these two positions?"
Human resources pulled about a dozen resumes on file for the solicitor to review for the legal job, said acting Director Meri Dolan.
Public Information Director Stacey Hajdak said Chief Operating Officer Dave Sanko gave her the resume of the employee whom she ultimately selected. Sanko did not immediately return messages Wednesday evening.
Marseglia offered a motion to develop a policy for advertising all jobs in some manner - whether within the department, on the county Web site or in some way. She does not consider the legal job confidential.
Her colleagues did not support the effort, prompting her to say, "Policy as usual," and vote no on all 44 personnel items before the commissioners during their annual evening meeting at Peace Valley Nature Center in New Britain Township.
"It certainly puts everything into question, doesn't it?" she said.
In March 2008, Cawley and Marseglia voted to advertise jobs after enough time passed to let internal candidates step forward. If no one applied, they said at the time, the job would be posted online and in other venues.
Marseglia considered the change a victory for the 400-some employees whose jobs are not covered by union rules about advertising.
At the time, Cawley said the details of the job-posting policy would be worked out. Cawley said Wednesday that his vote a year ago was intended to "encourage" then-Human Resources Director Carmen Thome to develop a policy regarding advertising.
Because that never happened, he said, he will make sure a policy is adopted - in a public setting - so it's clear that all non-confidential jobs must be advertised before hires are made.
All three commissioners agree their secretary jobs should be considered confidential, meaning up to them to fill.
Martin did not support efforts to change the policy a year ago or Wednesday.
"I have no complaints," he said. "Everything's working out just fine."
