We, like some members of Youngstown City Council and probably many city residents, are wondering what the Youngstown clerk of courts was thinking when she decided to hand out promotions and huge raises to 11 employees — particularly when finances are tight amid a pandemic.

Sarah Brown-Clark, Youngstown clerk of courts, promoted or increased the salaries of 11 employees, with raises as high as 44.3 percent, between Sept. 14 and Jan. 4. The raises totaled $91,439.

The move rightfully drew outrage from some members of city council.

We realize, as Brown-Clark stated, that the clerk of courts has the ability to set and adjust clerks’ pay scales, and we realize that she felt strongly the raises were warranted.

The problem is, the raises were never discussed with city council, which controls the budget, and now, according to interim city Finance Director Kyle Miasek, the city is left absorbing an unplanned additional $91,000. This, of course, comes during a time when most government agencies are being asked to tighten their belts. Youngstown workers have seen layoffs and requests to do more with less.

Apparently, Brown-Clark doesn’t believe those issues are a concern to her or her department.

And what’s worse is there’s nothing council nor the administration can do to rescind the raises. Brown-Clark controls her department.

The dismay exhibited by Brown-Clark at the uproar is difficult to comprehend.

When asked by our reporter about the raises, Brown-Clark said she “had no idea this would be an issue of contention.”

“It’s my prerogative to give promotions,” Brown-Clark said. “My people are being siphoned off because other places can pay more. I’m also looking at a morale boost. I have people working here for years, and they were paid less than $30,000.”

That statement may be true, but the fact that it has been going on “for years” raises even more questions about the timing of these raises.

Further, records show the promotions came when court caseloads had actually decreased significantly, and, in fact, they had been on the decline for the past few years.

And let’s not forget that all clerk of courts employees, like other nonunion workers in the city, also received a 1 percent raise.

Records show the largest pay raise granted by Brown-Clark went to a deputy clerk whose promotion resulted in an increase of $16,244 on Sept. 14, going from $39,028 to $55,272 — a 41.6 percent increase. Brown-Clark justified it due to an increase in workload for that clerk.

Two other raises were 6 percent while the rest ranged from 16.8 to 44.3 percent, a raise for a deputy clerk who saw her salary increase nearly $11,000 from $24,850 to $35,848.

Councilwoman Anita Davis, D-6th Ward, worded well her frustration, saying there’s a difference between Brown-Clark’s legal right to give the raises and to do what’s right.

“This was not right,” Davis said. “We’ve told our workforce to tighten up. This shouldn’t have been done.”

We agree.

The timing regarding the clerk of courts personnel restructuring and salary increases is outrageous. But the lack of communication with city council is inexcusable.