ACH error leads to late pay and concern by Somerset County employees

Somerset County is not out of money.

County employees had a startling payday Friday morning when many realized their pay had not been deposited to their bank accounts. The problem was rectified by 1 p.m., according to several employees.

The Somerset County commissioners told the Daily American on Friday that they did not know there was a problem until phone calls began coming in at 6 a.m.

"The treasurer never informed us," Commissioner Gerald Walker said. "It is unacceptable that our employees aren't paid."

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According to Somerset County Treasurer Anthony "Tony" DeLuca, "there was an ACH (Automated Clearing House) error that didn't activate. ACH is the primary system that agencies use for electronic funds transfer where the funds are electronically deposited in financial institutions, and payments are made online.

"My staff called me just after five this morning and said that payroll didn't hit the county employees' bank accounts," DeLuca said Friday afternoon. "I immediately drove to the office and I was there by 6 a.m. I got on the computer and everything was back in order by 6:29 a.m. with the money on the way to all the banks."

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County Finance Director Rebecca Canavan called DeLuca just after 8 a.m. and asked what had happened. She said she would let the commissioners know and DeLuca said "OK."

The treasurer's office staff, most who have been there for about 20 years, said this problem had happened three times before. The last time it occurred was three or four years ago when employees didn't get paid over a holiday weekend, DeLuca said.

However, the former county treasurer, Donna Matsko-Schmitt, said, "Somebody is making a false statement. We never had these issues." She ran the treasurers office for 32 years until DeLuca was elected to the post in 2021.

The commissioners pull together the payroll information and send it to the treasurer's office on Wednesday of pay week. DeLuca, or a designated staff member, then transfers the funds the same day.

"We are not responsible to transfer the funds," said Commissioner Colleen Dawson. "Our office did their job."

This is because of a state statute, Walker explained.

Dawson said the commissioners were concerned because many of the county employees have automatic withdrawals and could have a problem.

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The commissioners plan to meet with the treasurer and discuss what happened.

"This can never happen again," Walker said.

There have been disagreements between DeLuca and the commissioners about money matters in the county that have led to heated discussions at public meetings and a lawsuit. In the most recent Somerset County Salary Board meeting, comprised of the county commissioners and the county treasurer, there was a question of who would take the minutes that led to several hours reviewing minutes and comparing what the county chief clerk wrote and what DeLuca wrote in their minutes over the past several meetings.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: ACH error leads to late pay and concern by Somerset County employees