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Lackawanna County Prison Ends 2025 Nearly $950,000 Under Overtime Budget
Prison officials credit reduced overtime costs to maintaining full staffing and lower FMLA usage by corrections officers.
Jan. 27, 2026 at 2:31pm
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The Lackawanna County Prison finished 2025 nearly $950,000 under its $2.5 million overtime budget, a significant improvement from the previous year when the prison exceeded its overtime budget by over $300,000. Prison officials attributed the reduced overtime costs to maintaining a full complement of full-time employees and lower FMLA usage by corrections officers. The 2026 county budget includes a $1.85 million line item for prison overtime, down from the $2.5 million budgeted in 2025.
Why it matters
Controlling personnel costs, including overtime, is a key priority for Lackawanna County officials as part of their five-year financial management plan. The prison's success in reducing overtime spending in 2025 demonstrates their ability to effectively manage staffing and leave policies, which can have a significant impact on the county's overall budget.
The details
The prison incurred about $1.55 million in overtime costs in 2025, roughly $948,932 under its $2.5 million budget. This was a significant improvement from 2024, when the prison exceeded its $2.6 million overtime budget by more than $300,000. Prison Warden Tim Betti attributed the reduced overtime costs to 'maintaining as full of a complement as we can of full-time employees' and a drop in 'FMLA usage' by corrections officers. Officials have also credited improved shift planning and efforts to minimize staff vacancies for the success in lowering overtime spending.
- The Lackawanna County Prison finished 2025 almost $950,000 under its overtime budget.
- In 2024, the prison exceeded its $2.6 million overtime budget by more than $300,000.
- In 2023, the prison incurred about $2.49 million in overtime costs, barely under its $2.5 million overtime budget.
The players
Tim Betti
The warden of the Lackawanna County Prison.
Thom Welby
A Lackawanna County Commissioner.
Bill Gaughan
A Lackawanna County Commissioner.
Chris Chermak
A Lackawanna County Commissioner.
Michael Barrasse
The chairman of the Lackawanna County Prison Board.
Mark McAndrew
The vice chairman of the Lackawanna County Prison Board and the county sheriff.
What they’re saying
“We must maintain as full of a complement as we can of full-time employees and see a drop in FMLA usage by corrections officers.”
— Tim Betti, Warden, Lackawanna County Prison
What’s next
The Lackawanna County Prison Board will consider approving the purchase of a new dishwasher and dental x-ray machine for the prison's medical department using inmate canteen funds.
The takeaway
Lackawanna County officials have made controlling personnel costs, including overtime, a key priority, and the prison's success in reducing overtime spending in 2025 demonstrates their ability to effectively manage staffing and leave policies to improve the county's overall financial position.
