Carbon has new director of elections

Carbon County officials have named the new director of elections.

During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, the board voted to name Jacqueline S. Berger of Jim Thorpe as the new director. She is replacing former elections director Timothy Benyo, who last month, was named director of the Lehigh County elections bureau. Berger will begin her new position on Feb. 8.

"We're confident in her," Commissioner William O'Gurek, chairman, said. "We believe she'll do a good job."

O'Gurek pointed out that the county entered into an agreement with Kenneth Leffler, former Carbon County director of elections, who retired April 3, 2009. He will help train Berger for the director position over the next few months.

"Who better to help teach the new elections director than Ken Leffler," O'Gurek said.

The new director's salary was also set at the monthly meeting of the county salary board, which met immediately after the commissioners' meeting. Her pay was set at $31,413.20 per year.

The new director of elections graduated from Northampton County Community College in 1988 and has been employed for more than 20 years at Vacation Charters, Ltd. in Lake Harmony, serving as switchboard operator, night auditor, front desk clerk, and most recently, administrative assistant/secretary to the treasurer.

She has also served as the vice president of the Jim Thorpe Area School District PTA in 1997 to 1999; president of the JT PTA from 1999 to 2001; president of a parent group that organized fundraisers and student field trips from 2005 to 2006; and PTSA chairman and fundraiser volunteer in 2006 to 2007.

In other matters, Randall Smith, county administrator, announced that the new tentative completion date for the Carbon County courthouse renovation project is March 23. Unforeseen problems in the renovations have pushed back the tentative completion date from Jan. 1, until March.

The reason for the renovations is to create a third courtroom for the county's new third judge, Steven Serfass. The new area will include a third courtroom, judge's chambers, jury room, and other employee offices.

Until renovations are completed Serfass is sharing courtrooms with President Judge Roger N. Nanovic and Senior Judge Richard W. Webb; as well as utilizing the commissioners' meeting room in the courthouse annex.

O'Gurek thanked the court for its cooperation during the renovations and for its patience with the delays.