Salary board cuts job

The Washington County Salary Board on Thursday eliminated the deputy court administrator’s position held by Thomas Jess.
The position paid $79,567, and its elimination is effective Friday, although President Judge Katherine B. Emery said Jess was informed Wednesday his position was about to be abolished.
Voting unanimously along with the president judge to eliminate the position were Commissioners Larry Maggi, Diana Irey Vaughan and Harlan Shober and Controller Michael Namie.
Jess’ job of deputy court administrator included oversight of family court and probation services, but after the district attorney’s office began investigating the chief juvenile probation officer, Daniel Clements, regarding a theft, Jess was relieved of his duties overseeing the juvenile probation office.
Washington County detectives filed charges Oct. 10 against Clements, 47, of Aliquippa, after receiving a referral from the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board and interviewing employees of both the adult and juvenile probation offices about approximately $2,000 that was missing
Court Administrator Patrick Grimm took over supervision of the juvenile probation department Sept. 26, just 15 days before the arrest of Clements on felony charges of theft by deception and tampering with public records. Clements is accused of pocketing funds that were supposed to be used for mixed-martial arts training – a form of self-defense the department has since dropped. He was chief of the juvenile probation office until he applied for his pension two days before his arrest.
Court records show Clements was formally arraigned Jan. 27, but they do not list a trial date.
Grimm, who is now in charge of probation services and domestic relations, did not return a call from the Observer-Reporter Thursday afternoon.
The Washington County Juvenile Probation Office also is the subject of a whistleblower suit filed by former probation officer David Scrip in August. Named as defendants were then-President Judge Debbie O’Dell Seneca, Jess, Clements and Washington County. Scrip claims his employment was wrongfully terminated. At O’Dell Seneca’s request, the suit, filed in Washington County Court, was moved to U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court relieved O’Dell Seneca of her administrative duties Nov. 5, appointing Allegheny County Senior Judge Joseph M. James as interim administrative judge of Washington County. O’Dell Seneca retired from the bench two months later, and Emery, who then had the most seniority among the five remaining Washington County jurists, succeeded her as president judge.
Jess, an at-will employee, was hired in 2001. A member of the Judge Advocate General Corps, he was deployed during the Iraq War. Maggi said Jess remains a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
In other salary board action, the title of the booking center coordinator was changed to booking center manager without an increase in salary or benefits.
The salaries associated with two vacant positions were lowered before candidates are hired. The new manager of the Furlough-Into-Service program will be paid $40,500 instead of the previous $41,199, and the starting salary for the community services director will be $63,500 instead of the previous $64,023.