THORNS to the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judges and salary board for supporting two judges hiring their wives as judicial secretaries at salaries of more than $50,000 at a time when other positions are being cut. Last week, the salary board approved county Judge Paul W. Tressler promoting his wife, Nancy Tressler, who is currently the judge's court crier, and Judge-elect Gary S. Silow hiring his wife, Mary B. Silow. Commissioner Joseph M. Hoeffel and Controller Diane B. Morgan voted against the measure. President Judge Richard J. Hodgson and Commissioners James R. Matthews and Bruce L. Castor Jr. voted in favor. The full-time positions pay a $52,721 annual salary each. Hodgson said the two judges employing their own spouses might appear to be questionable to some, but he didn't see it as a problem. These judges, who earn $161,850 a year with cost of living increases due Jan. 1, may prefer to work with their wives, and we expect that the two women are competent secretaries, but that doesn't excuse the nepotism of this decision excluding others from even being considered for these jobs.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Newspaper: Thorns to judges who hired wives
From the editorial page of The Pottstown Mercury:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
So let me get this straight. You would prefer an incompetent secretary to avoid the appearance of nepotism???
I know it is not that simple but you may well have a point. Who really is going to complain about an ineffective judicial secretary, especially if it is the judge's spouse? Definitely not the attorneys who appear in front of that judge. God knows I don't complain about the incompetent ones I have to deal with who are not related to the judges here in Florida.
This also may be a precursor for the salary board to get their spouses on the payroll if there are no complaints here..
Post a Comment