The lawsuit brought by former McKean County Sheriff Donald Morey
against the county for back pay has been settled.

“I’m just glad it’s done with,” Morey said on Wednesday. “It’s
one more thing out of the way.”

Morey, who did not seek re-election as sheriff in 2005, is now
retired and has been helping his wife Pat through some serious
health issues. He expressed relief that the issue of the back pay
is now settled.

Morey had sued for years of back pay he had never received while
performing double duty as sheriff and as warden of McKean County
Jail, referring to decisions in 1986 and 1990 by the then-McKean
County Commissioners saying multiple office holders would receive
an extra $2,000 in annual compensation.

According to an order entered into Tuesday in McKean County
Court, the case was settled for $6,000 – effectively three years of
back pay.

The issue of the back pay was first raised by Morey in 2004 when
the New Directions Team of county commissioners – Tom Causer, John
Egbert and Cliff Lane – announced they were hiring a warden for the
jail and separating the sheriff’s department from jail
operations.

Dennis Luther, former warden of the Federal Correctional
Institution at McKean, was hired as the first warden of the renamed
McKean County Prison at a salary of $50,000. The current warden,
Timothy Woodruff, was hired in March of 2006 at the same
salary.

Morey alerted the commissioners that he had not been paid for
acting as warden of the jail since 1997, and asked to be
compensated for the years of work.

He made the first request for compensation in December of 2004,
and filed the lawsuit in May of 2006.

Michele Alfieri, county solicitor, said, “Both sides believed
they had valid positions. We’re glad to have that resolved without
expensive, protracted litigation.

“A compromise was reached and we’ll move forward,” she said.