Centre County may be left out in the cold if it doesn't soon lift the pay freeze it has placed on some elected officials.

The county has not increased the salaries of several elected officials since 1987. Prothonatary David L. Immel said he may not run for re-election if he is denied a raise again.

County officials like Immel lose money year after year as their salaries remain stagnant in the face of inflation and the rising cost of living. But for the time being, the Centre County commissioners said they have no intention of considering pay raises in the near future. And there lies the rub.

If the county continues its tight-fisted salary policy for important elected positions -- the prothonatary is in charge of the county's court records -- it will find itself lacking qualified officials a few years down the road.

Not only will some officials leave, but citizens interested in public service will likely be scared away by the prospects of low pay and infrequent increases.

That scenario may have already come home to roost in central Pennsylvania. Former Democratic County Chairman and County Commissioner Keith Bierly said his attempts to recruit prospective officials for county positions have failed because candidates "lost interest when they found out the salaries."The county is facing difficulty competing with private-sector jobs that offer higher pay and promises of regular increases.

Centre County has already lost a valuable service due to its stinginess. When District Attorney Ray Gricar asked to be considered a full-time employee -- and receive a full-time salary -- county commissioners nixed the idea.

Because he will not be a full-time DA, Gricar said he will seek outside employment and devote less of his time to his county position. Immel said he also has considered finding an evening job to augment his county paycheck.

Centre County naturally expects a high standard of work from its employees, but in the last four years it has not rewarded that commitment with even the smallest increase. Workers are certain to become frustrated if they are not fairly compensated, and that will injure the county's productivity as well.

Centre County can turn this tide by considering salary increases this year. If it doesn't break the ice soon, it may be too late.