Feb 20, 2015 By Steve Barrett 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – During a brief meeting Thursday, Greene County commissioners announced that the county collected 93.23 percent of property taxes owed in 2014, a .54 percent increase from 2013.

County Treasurer Cory Grandel explained that a total of $638,570 in unpaid county property taxes was turned over to the county tax claim bureau for 2014, and with penalties, the total owed in unpaid taxes is $702,431.

Grandel said the county collected 92.69 percent of the owed county property taxes in 2013 and that due to higher collections the county ended up collecting $504,743 more in 2014.

Grandel said the annual total of property taxes turned over to the tax claims bureau has decreased each year since at least 2010.

“That should be credited to a number of factors, including a better economy, more employment, stronger collecting efforts by the staff and enhanced technology that gives tax payers easier access to pay their taxes at home with credit cards,” he said.

The county collected over $11 million in county property taxes in 2014. Grandel explained that the figure only applies to property taxes owed to the county, and does not include taxes owed to municipalities such as townships, school districts and boroughs.

Following the commissioners’ meeting, the salary board approved numerous hirings, promotions, retirements, resignations and salary increases.

For transportation, the board approved the hiring of Ronald Dusenberry as a casual van driver effective Jan. 26, and the rehiring of Sara Humphreys as a casual van driver effective Jan. 27.

For the redevelopment authority, the board approved the hiring of Steve Salisbury as a regular full-time working supervisor II, effective Jan. 26.

For conservation, the board agreed to hire Karlie Wright as a regular full-time agricultural technician, effective Feb. 9; for the register and recorder’s office, the board approved the promotion of Shelby Yourchik to the vacant department clerk I position, effective Jan. 26; for maintenance, the board approved the transfer of Bruce Shipley to regular full-time maintenance worker I, effective Feb. 12; and for recreation, the board approved the retirement of Richard Hunnell, community service coordinator, effective Feb. 15.

For the county jail, Zachary Atkinson was hired as a regular part-time corrections officer I effective Feb. 1; for food service, Karen Taylor was promoted to regular full-time food service worker effective Feb. 5; and for the sheriff’s office, Mark Grimes was hired as a regular full-time security officer I effective Feb. 5.

For Children and Youth Services, the salary board approved: the rehiring of Danielle Reese as a temporary part-time CYS caseworker supervisor effective Feb. 9, a temporary assignment of up to 21 hours weekly until March 6 to prepare for a state audit; the resignation of Shelby Parisse, CYS caseworker, effective Feb. 11; and the promotion of Elizabeth Kennedy to regular full-time CYS caseworker supervisor, effective March 9.

And for human resources, the salary board approved a five percent salary increase for Rebecca Harris, human resources director, and for Cara Cox, human resources specialist, based on satisfactory completion of one year in their current positions.