A donation Commissioner Doug Chew promised in September to keep a weekend testing program in place through the end of the year for Westmoreland County’s drug court never was made, the Tribune-Review confirmed Monday.

Chew, a first-term Republican, faced criticism this summer when it was disclosed he had yet to honor a pledge he made during his 2019 campaign for county commissioner to donate 60% of his salary to drug court. Chew later said he personally would pay to continue the weekend drug court testing program after the county lost a state grant.

Instead, the program that costs $750 a week has operated for the past three months through private donations made by county Commissioner Sean Kertes, Treasurer Jared Squires and attorney Scott Avolio. Squires and Kertes each donated $1,850. Avolio gifted the program $500.

Squires’ office, which oversees and processes all money that flows into the county, said there was no record Chew donated any money to drug court or any other county program.

In a text message exchange, Chew claimed he didn’t know the drug court testing program was in need of money.

“I was unaware we were short,” Chew wrote.

In September, Chew sent county judges and commissioners an email in which he pledged to temporarily cover the program costs. “This may not be solved overnight, but until I can either get another grant approved or another funding source, I’ll cover the weekend program costs,” Chew wrote at the time.

Chew earned $81,027 in 2020 and 2021. A donation of 60% of his salary would equal $48,616 each year, for a total of $97,200.

In July, Chew claimed drug court didn’t need the cash and that he made donations to several local charities. He provided a list of charities to which he donated but no dollar amounts.

On Monday, Chew did not respond to a specific question about his campaign promise. He suggested he was in the process of applying for a $5,000 grant for drug court on the county’s behalf.

“I have been seeking funds. I expect these to be extra funds,” Chew wrote in a text message about the grant application. He later responded to the private donations from Kertes and the others by saying, “I’m happy that my colleague considers drug court as important as I do.”

Kertes on Monday turned over receipts for his donation, as well as those from Squires and Avolio.

“I thought this program was important, and I asked likeminded individuals to donate,” Kertes said.

Bill Shifko, the county’s drug court administrator, said the donations ensure the program can continue operating through the end of December. Officials have asked the state to reauthorize the grant in 2022, and other funding options are being explored to pay for the program next year, he said.

Drug court operates through $390,000 in annual grants to oversee the recovery of up to 60 participants whose struggle with addiction has placed them into the criminal justice system. Participants are monitored by probation staff, recovery specialists and, ultimately, two judges who oversee the program. Since the program’s inception in 2015, more than 50 people have graduated.

Meanwhile, it was unclear if and when Chew would make any donations to drug court.

He did not respond when asked if will he meet his pledge this year.

And the dollar amount pledged as part of Chew’s 2019 campaign promise is set to increase next year.

Chew’s salary, along with all of the county’s elected officials, will increase by 5.6% in 2022.

County elected officials receive annual cost-of-living raises that are determined by changes to the consumer price index calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The 2022 raise will be the biggest pay hike elected officials have received in more than a decade.

Commissioners will see their base salaries increase by more than $4,500, to $85,599. Kertes, who is board chairman, will earn $88,757 next year.

Elected officials did not receive a raise in 2021.

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