Lebanon County Commissioners honor retiring employee for 30-plus years

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Lebanon County Commissioners honored Ray Arnold for 30-plus years of service as a county employee at their May 15 meeting.

Arnold will retire on May 28 with 32 years, having been hired on Sept. 15, 1997, as the assistant work release director at the Lebanon County Correctional Facility. Arnold spent his entire career at the county prison, including his promotion as director of the work release program on Aug. 24, 2020.

LCCF Warden Tina Litz praised Arnold for his service and dedication to his job.

“Ray Arnold is a gentleman that did more than show up for work over the course of his tenure and career,” Litz said. “He had his hands in just about anything he could to positively impact the correctional facility, and he worked hard to build relationships in the community to have employers to hire our incarcerated individuals.”

She noted his shoes will be hard to fill.

“So as happy as I am for Ray’s retirement and his hard work and dedication for him to have a retirement, it’s also going to be sad and a lot of work for the correctional facility to find a replacement that has the diligence, the history, and again the dedication and service that Ray Arnold presented for the county, specifically at the Lebanon County Correctional Facility,” Litz added.

The proclamation read by county administrator Jamie Wolgemuth noted Arnold “served the county with devotion and commitment” and that he was a “key member of the correctional team performing his duties and responsibilities in a professional manner” as “a valuable and dedicated employee.”

Arnold had two individuals he thanked during brief comments.

“I would just like to say I couldn’t be the person I am today without Jesus in my life,” said Arnold, who appeared to be overcome with emotion as he held hands with his wife, “and also my wife, Shelley, she has been the backbone of my success.”

Arnold told commissioners he served under three wardens. 

“I remember Bob Rager was a great man, so was Bob Carnes, and Tina’s a great lady. I can say it like that. She’s an excellent warden,” Arnold said, adding his three bosses all dealt with his imperfections. “With my shortcomings, sometimes everybody has them, but we have always come around to work together on all things. So I’m very thankful for the career you’ve given me.”

Commission chairman Mike Kuhn noted his good manners, saying he should have said he trained three wardens instead of coming up under them. “You conduct yourself as a gentleman but also a real professional and you leave huge shoes to fulfill. I only hope we can get somebody that’s close to you and in the way you conduct yourself and lead our program,” Kuhn said.

Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz said she’s known Arnold the entire time she’s served in county government. 

“I’ve learned (he’s) a gentleman, and a gentle soul in a tough job. And I think he touched a lot of the people who went to the jail and maybe gave them a little hope – that there was hope for them (and) that they could turn their lives around. I’m sure you touched a lot of them,” she said about the inmates under his charge.

Commissioner Bob Phillips echoed the same sentiments. 

“Great career with us. We’re grateful and we’re happy for you with your future retirement years,” he said.

Warden Litz publicly thanked Shelley for her ability to help her husband navigate his work life from his personal one.

“I also would like to thank Shelley because working in a jail is difficult because you have your jail personality,” Litz said. “Sometimes you have to be not harsh, but you have to be a little more stern with the population that you deal with, and then you have to balance that to go home and remember at home that you’re a husband, you’re a father, you’re a grandfather. And Shelley has, I feel, been there to help Ray navigate and maneuver those times. So as much as 32 years and nine months of service, Ray Arnold provided to the county, Shelley also provided that by being a supportive wife and showing him the way as a partner.”

Other county business

In other business, commissioners voted unanimously to:

• Receive an additional grant for $99,066 through an extension of the Indigent Defense Fund through Dec. 31, 2026, for the Lebanon County Public Defenders office. The grant will be applied to several staff positions for salary increases and an employee retention bonus. A portion of the funding would also be used for seven subscriptions for an AI-assisted research tool through Westlaw Precision totaling $12,664.60.    
• Enter into an early lease termination agreement with Acadia Healthcare for a county-owned property at 3030 Chestnut St., Lebanon. As part of the agreement, the county will receive an early lease termination payment of $127,765.44. The funding will go into an account for the Lebanon County Drug and Alcohol Abuse treatment programs.
• Approve the treasurer’s report that included receipts on May 13 and 14 of $666,369.71, for a cash balance of $12,891,312.34. County expenditures for the past week were $1,334,092.98 and a tax claim of $47,930.04, leaving a balance of $11,509,289.32.
• Receive a first quarter update from the Lebanon-based investment firm Stifel for county investments for its pension fund.
• Grant numerous personnel transactions as presented by the Human Resources Department.
• Reappoint five individuals to the county Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse advisory council for three-year terms through Feb. 19, 2028. These individuals and their appointment categories are: Michael Fry, education; James Streiff, optional; Michael Weirich, optional; William White, optional; and Jennifer Easter, healthcare professional. 
• Provide real estate tax exemptions to five fully disabled veterans. 
• Accept the minutes of the May 1 meeting and May 7 workshop.

Lebanon County Commissioners meet the first and third Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in Room 207 of the Lebanon County Municipal Building, 400 S. 8th St., Lebanon.