IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
DOMESTIC RELATIONS SECTION
2003-8
In re: Domestic Relations Section Vacancies )
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER OF COURT
AND NOW, this day of October, 2003, upon consultation with the Director of
the Domestic Relations Section of Northampton County and the Northampton County Court
Administrator, and based upon the existing four (4) full-time vacancies in the Domestic Relations
Section which have not been posted for hire, the Court finds as follows:
1. Upon review of the attached Memorandum from Ruth Vega-Velez, Northampton
County Domestic Relations Director, dated September 30, 2003, wherein the Court
learned that the unfilled vacancies create the following liabilities for the Domestic
Relations Section, the families serviced by the Domestic Relations Section and
ultimately, the taxpayers of Northampton County:
a. Currently, Northampton County has four (4) full-time vacant positions in the
Domestic Relations Section, all of which are critical to the continued day-to-day
operations including one Clerical Technician I, one Clerical Technician II and
two Support Technicians I positions.
b. The failure to fill the four (4) full-time vacancies will result in the failure/inability
of the Domestic Relations Section to meet its audit requirements thereby losing
all or part of federal funding, reimbursement and/or incentives.
c. The failure to fill the above-referred vacant positions will result in the inability
of the Domestic Relations Sections to adequately process new cases, adequately
review modification requests and adequately collect support monies due for
support of children and dependent spouses.
d. The failure to fill the above-referred positions will likely result in the loss of
reimbursement funding for the entire Domestic Relations staff at a 67% rate of
recovery which, for the most recent fiscal year of 2002, resulted in revenue of
$2,416,676.00 to the Northampton County General Fund and will further likely
result in audit requirements requiring mandatory hirings thereby increasing
county expenditures.
THEREFORE, we ORDER that the Northampton County Human Resources Department
immediately post the four (4) full-time vacant positions consisting of one Clerical Technician I, one
Clerical Technician II and two Support Technicians I and upon the end of the required posting
period, the names of the qualifying candidates immediately be forwarded to the Domestic Relation
Section for purposes of conducting interviews for hire.
The Court further ORDERS that upon conclusion of the interviewing process, the selected
candidates will immediately be hired by an Order of this Court.
BY THE COURT:
ROBERT A. FREEDBERG, P.J.
______________________________
STEPHEN G. BARATTA
ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE
DOMESTIC RELATIONS
SECTION