Cambria County board approves sheriff deputy positions, adjustments

Joshua Byers, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

ST. MICHAEL, Pa. – Four part-time and per-diem positions in the Cambria County Sheriff’s Office were swapped for a new full-time deputy position at the Cambria County Salary Board meeting Thursday.

The board unanimously approved the creation of a new full-time deputy position at $18 per hour, as well as the elimination of two per-diem and two part-time deputy jobs.

Nate Fisher and Isaac Thomas were hired as full-time sheriff’s deputies, contingent on successful completion of pre-employment health screenings.

“All my positions will then be full,” Cambria County Sheriff Don Robertson said.

He said he requested the change because the part-time jobs have been hard to fill. The part-time positions had a pay rate of $15 per hour, and the per-diem roles paid $12.21 per hour.

Robertson said there was a time when he had 10 part-time deputies, but that’s not the case anymore.

He’s confident in the new full-time hires. He said both men have criminal justice degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and will serve the sheriff’s office before and during their time at the Pennsylvania Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Training Program at Penn State when they enroll in the next class.

The changes to the sheriff’s office positions will take effect June 3.

During the regular meeting, the Cambria County commissioners approved a $32,106 bid to Kev’s Excavating LLC, of Ebensburg, for a project located on the 200 block of Plummer Road in the Sidman area.

John Dryzal, Cambria County Conservation District manager, said the expenditure was for stream bank stabilization and fishing enhancement along Laurel Run.

He told the group that the district was awarded an environmental stewardship grant to cover the work.

This is the third stream bank project the commissioners have approved in as many meetings for the conservation district.

The commissioners accepted a bid May 9 from Mechanical Group Inc., of Indiana, in the amount of $56,303 for a Clearfield Creek project. They approved a bid April 25 from Earth Shapers LLC, of Ebensburg, for Brubaker Run and Fox Run bank stabilization projects at a cost of $64,954.

“It’s a lot of work, a lot of collaboration with willing land owners,” Dryzal said.