LEBANON — Two top staffers at a nonprofit agency that finds housing for the mentally ill received 52 percent raises July 1, according to documents provided Monday by Warren County Commissioner Pat South.

        New Housing Opportunities' payroll was to rise 28 percent overall while the number of employees was to increase 0.9 percent, according to the charts. Director Teresa Nieberding topped the list, going from $55,036 to $83,674.

        “How can you justify that?” Mrs. South said.

        She said the agency's board members approved the raises in response to pressure from Bill Harper, executive director of Mental Health Recovery Services of Warren and Clinton Counties, the public agency that organizes services for the mentally ill.

        New Housing employees are not directly employed by Recovery Services, but the agency is one of five that provide the majority of services offered by Recovery Services.

        All five took part in a recent study with Recovery Services on equalizing pay among similar jobs and bringing salaries closer to what other employers offer.

        “Continuity in staffing is a key to quality services,” Mr. Harper said.

        “We deal with life-and-death situations every day.”

        One of Mrs. South's chief objections is that the raises are coming less than six months before a tax campaign. November is Recovery Services' last shot at voters before its levy expires in January, which

        would force service cuts and staff layoffs.

        “You don't give salary increases before you've got the money,” she said.

        Mr. Harper's response: “I've never heard anyone say, "I'm not going to vote for your levy because you're paying your staff what they should be paid.'”

        New Housing Opportunities' board initially balked at the proposed salaries for its employees, voting to give raises retroactively if the levy passed. Mr. Harper, however, persuaded the board to pass the raises.

        “We couldn't implement the salary plan without all of our agencies doing it,” he said.

        “We'd have to go back to the drawing board” for Recovery Services' 2002 (fiscal year) budget, which began July1.

        Information was not available Monday on the raises given at other Recovery Services con tractors.

        “I can only assume that the other agencies have been dictated to, too,” Mrs. South said.

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