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Cumberland County legislator enters 11th District race

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County officials question employee compensation for manufacturer seeking tax break

PLAINS TWP. &#8212; The Joint Operating Committee that runs the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center approved a contract for recently appointed Administrative Director Anthony Guariglia at Monday&#8217;s monthly meeting. Solicitor Jack Dean said the 5-year contract starts with a salary of $110,000 and no built-in raises.&#8220;Any pay increases must be negotiated separately,&#8221; Dean said after the meeting.With two of the 11 JOC members missing, the vote was 6-3 in favor of awarding the contract &#8220;pending final review of contract language.&#8221; The JOC is composed of representatives from the school boards of five districts that send students to the CTC, and the three no votes all came from Wilkes-Barre Area representatives: Ned Evans, Dr. James Susek and James Geiger.Shawn Walker, from Wilkes-Barre Area, was absent. John Quinn, whose son works at the CTC, voted for the contract.While terms were not finalized, Dean and Guariglia jointly gave the salary after the meeting.The JOC also voted to offer an early retirement incentive to all employees, giving $5,000 per year for three years to support staff and $10,000 per year for three years to teachers and administrators. Susek cast the lone no vote.Dean said Guariglia&#8217;s current salary is $103,000, but that includes stipends he was receiving for additional work while serving as acting administrator. State records show that, prior to landing that job, his salary in 2016 was $93,700.Guariglia came to the WBA CTC from the West Side Career and Technology Center, where he had been working 14 years, rising to principal.At the time, he was also a Pittston Area School Board member serving as that district&#8217;s representative at the WBA CTC. He resigned from the Wilkes-Barre Area JOC. Two months later, that JOC hired him as the center&#8217;s assistant principal at a salary of $82,000.In March of 2014, the JOC approved a $4,000 raise for &#8220;any employee&#8221; with a Ph.D. or Doctor of Education. Guariglia was the only employee who qualified, obtaining the advanced degree prior to negotiations of the agreement.The center lacked an acting administrative director when Peter Halesey went on paid leave in October of 2014. Principal Frank Majikes assumed the duties and was named acting administrative director. Guariglia was named acting assistant administrative director.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Mark Guydishmguydish@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</shirttailMeta></div>

Guariglia gets $110,000 in contract as administrative director at WBA CTC