Westmoreland furlough plan could impact more than 100

By RICH CHOLODOFSKY
TribLive

As many as 100 Westmoreland County employees are expected to be furloughed as commissioners finalize plans to reduce spending amid the ongoing state budget impasse.

Commissioner Ted Kopas said Wednesday administrators and human resource officials are expected to begin notifying nonunion staffers this week who will be temporarily removed from the payroll. Unionized workers are expected to be furloughed over the next two weeks to comply with existing labor contracts.

“This is difficult, and this is people’s livelihood and it’s a burden for them and their families. And it is absolutely necessary because unfortunately the Legislature cannot pass a budget,” Kopas said.

The county employs more than 1,700 workers, including 857 who are based at the courthouse in Greensburg and additional staff at other facilities including Westmoreland Manor, the jail, juvenile detention center and workers at the county parks. About 1,200 staffers are union workers, according to the county’s human resources department.

Commissioners announced the furlough plan last week, saying the county cannot continue to operate as usual with little to no funds coming from the state as lawmakers continue to squabble over the 2025-26 budget. The county’s $452 million budget relies on about $104 million in state funding.

The state budget expired June 30.

“People are freaking out. There’s a lot of anxiety,” said a row office staffer Wednesday afternoon.

Another employee said there’s been little discussion among workers but that many remain on edge as they wait to hear details about the furlough plan.

“All we can do is wait and see what they do,” the employee said.

The employees asked that their names not be used.

The county operates on a calendar-year budget and earlier this month diverted funds, loaned itself $31 million from general operations and started to withhold payments to vendors to compensate for the lack of state money.

Commissioners also instituted a hiring freeze and halted overtime payments, citing what they said was a financial crisis caused by the state budget impasse. In additional to furloughs, officials said other cost savings — including closure of the county parks — would be enacted in October.

The final number of furloughs and a breakdown of departments impacted has yet to be released. Kopas said that information will be disclosed after all affected employees are notified. He confirmed four staffers assigned to the commissioners’ offices will be furloughed.

“We’re furloughing who we can while also maintaining operations. There has to be someone here in the building,” Kopas said.

County officials continue to point fingers at state lawmakers for their failure to pass a state budget.

Republican Commissioner Doug Chew blamed the Democrat-controlled state House for the crisis.

“The county’s furlough plan and the state’s budget impasse are very dynamic situations. We are closely monitoring and working on both,” Chew said. “Despite having a bill from the Senate, it’s my understanding that (House) Speaker Joanna McClinton has still not called the House back to session and Gov. Shapiro is in Ireland,” Chew said.

Kopas, a Democrat, pointed the finger at the Republican-led Senate, saying it failed to vote on a House budget approved this summer.

Five members of Westmoreland County’s legislative delegation — Eric Nelson, R-Hempfield; Eric Davanzo, R-Smithton, Jill Cooper, R-Murrysville; Brian Rasel, R-North Huntingdon and Abby Major, R- Leechburg — penned a letter to county commissioners this week. In it they urged them to lobby Democratic lawmakers to support a GOP-led House bill they claim will turn on the state’s spending spigot.

“We stand firmly against reckless overspending and support the passing of last year’s budget to continue uninterrupted delivery of essential public services while new spending is negotiated,” the legislators wrote.