CLEARFIELD — Clearfield County Commissioners on Tuesday approved the promotion of F. Cortez “Chip” Bell III to first assistant district attorney — even the county’s salary board did not approve an increase in his wages at an earlier meeting.
The board unanimously approved Bell’s advancement effective May 1.
Bell replaces Leanne Nedza, who resigned the first assistant district attorney position at the end of December to accept a placement with Penn State University, DuBois campus, as a lecturer of criminal justice.
Prior to the commissioner’s meeting, the Clearfield County Salary Board met. On its agenda was a request from District Attorney Ryan Sayers to increase the starting salary of the first assistant district attorney to $65,000 per year, beginning May 1.
Controller Rob Edwards made the motion to approve the request. The motion died for lack of a second.
In January, the salary board approved a wage hike for the position to $60,000 –up from $55,000.
At that meeting, Sayers spoke to the board and said at the end of 2023, the commissioners set Nedza’s salary at $64,368.
Upon her resignation, the position’s salary reverted to an annual wage set four years ago — $55,000 — an amount less than the figure the assistant public defender is earning and approximately the same annual salary as other positions in the DA’s office.
Sayers requested the first assistant district attorney’s salary be increased to $60,000.
The salary board did not take action on increasing the salary at that meeting; but at the next business meeting, members voted to approve the $60,000.
Chairman Dave Glass reported he spoke with Sayers prior to the vote.
“I spoke with Ryan Sayers and I am satisfied. His point that swayed me the most is that he wants the first assistant DA’s salary to have a salary that is a little higher than the other assistants.”
Commissioner John Sobel voted no on the salary increase. He said while he appreciates the DA’s staff’s work, he believes both the DA’s and the public defender’s staff should be paid similarly.
“Personally, I feel there is very little difference between the work that the DA’s staff and the public defender’s office does. Both do different jobs, but currently the assistant public defender will make less money that someone who becomes the first assistant district attorney,” Sobel noted.
