By Tom Shortell
Lehigh Vallet Live
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, Pa. — Two corrections officers at Northampton County Prison doubled their base salaries through overtime to earn more than $100,000 each last year.
They rank among the top 10 earners across Northampton County, including wages, overtime, bonuses and unused sick or vacation time. The Express-Times obtained the county records through a Right-to-Know request.
In total, 17 county employees took home more than $100,000 in 2013.
Director of Corrections Arnold Matos said the prison has struggled to maintain required staffing levels in the past year. He’s expecting to see 13 new corrections officers added to the roster when they graduate from the academy, but that will still leave the Northampton County Prison short seven corrections officers, he said.
“We know that overtime has been high and we’re trying to do everything we can to keep it in line,” he said. “Corrections isn’t for everyone.”
As a result, corrections officers Jolene Gross and Kenneth Kocher were the fourth- and ninth-highest paid county employees in 2013, according to county documents. Gross earned $109,477 and Kocher took in $106,265, according to documents. Each has a base salary of $51,543.
The staff shortage has been exacerbated by frequent absences among employees for vacation, sick time, family leave and other departures, he said. Addressing these and other unexcused absences will be a talking point moving forward, he said.
“We hope to curb how some people call out as often as they do,” Matos said.
Full story: Corrections officers at Northampton County Prison rake in overtime to make highest paid employees list