New emergency management director is appointed by board

Hired to fill the vacant emergency management coordinator position in Schuylkill County was John Matz, of 24 Woodland Drive, Wayne Township, in action taken by the Schuylkill County Commissioners in a belated public meeting held Wednesday morning at the courthouse in Pottsville. The meeting was postponed last week because of inclement weather.

Matz's salary was fixed by the salary board at $46,885 per year. He replaces Arthur Kaplan, of Frackville, who held the position since the inception and retired a few months ago to open his own consulting firm. Matz worked in the emergency management bureau prior to going to the Berks County Department of Emergency Management in Reading. He also is an instructor at the Schuylkill IU 29 Vocational Trade School.

Other business

The commissioners acknowledged receiving two checks from President Judge William E. Baldwin from the court's supervisory fund, one for $73,181 and the second for $150,000. Monies in the supervisory fund are generated through a supervision fee levied on all persons placed on probation and parole by the county judges. They pay a $50 monthly supervision fee for each month they are on probation or parole.

Mark Scarbinsky, county fiscal administrator, announced the $73,181 will be used for budgeted expenses in the adult probation office and the $150,000 will offset salary expenses for the office which will allow the county to freeze up the same amount ($150,000) from the county's general fund to be utilized to support the pre-release prison center development costs.

Approval was given the Children and Youth Service Agency to enter into service agreement contracts.

A contract was approved with Cornell Abraxas Group Inc., Pittsburgh, consisting of community based quarters at $146.69 per day; shelter at $219.30 per day and sex offender treatment at $309.41 per day. A contract with Access Services Inc., Orwigsburg, to provide foster care at $70.35 per day, intensive supevision at $110 per day and foster care for infants at $46.15 per day. A contract was entered with Adelphoi, Latrobe, for a treatment foster care service at $70.35 per day, intensive supervision at $223.40 per day and secure male program at $305.90 per day. A service agreement was entered with S.L. Smith Company, Wuyalusing R.1, to provide window cleaning at the courthouse building. The contract is for a three year period at a cost of $26,100.

Seek bids

Authorization was given to advertise for solicitation of bids for the Schuylkill Township waterline project under the 2007 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program year and the Norwegian Township builiding for handicap improvements under the 2009 GBDG program year.

Approval was given for time extension for the B&R Constructiion Services to complete the Chapel Road water extension project in Foster Township under the 2009 GBDG Program year. The time requested is 103 days to complete the landscaping portion at a more temperate time.

An application was approved to seek a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for the license to carry standardization and modernization of process program grant in the amount of $15,000 with no match requiring.

Also, submission of an application to be submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's 2010 CDBD program in the amount of $380,000.

Fire chiefs

Reappointed to the executive board and the Advisory Board of the Schuylkill County Fire Chiefs Association were the following:

Executive Board - Frank Zangari, Girardville; Jason Witmier, Pottsville; Scott Krater, Port Carbon; Dave Sattizahn, Pine Grove; Gary Witmier, Pottsville; John Matz, Deer Lake/West Brunswick Township.

Advisory Board - Art Connelly, Tamaqua; Joe Kufrovich, Ryan Township; Jack Messner, Pottsville; John Kellman, Duncott; James Krammes, Cressona; and Glenn Sattizahn, Schuylkill Haven.

Personnel matters

Kimberly Herrera, Schuylkill Haven, was appointed to a vacancy of a part time nurses aide position at Rest Haven Home when Sandra Kehler, Pottsville, was terminated. Herrera's salary was set at $11.72 per hour.

Kristi Bennett, Palo Alto, was promoted from county caseworker 1 to caseworker 2 with the Chilidren and Youth Services Agency and Kelly Ondisco, Schuylkill Haven, was hired as a caseworker 2. Both will be paid $16.8419 per hour.

District Attorney James P. Goodman announced Atty. Allyn Starry, of Hometown, Rush Township, who was employed as a full time assistant district attorney has resigned to take a position with a law firm in Allentown. She specialized in sex offender cases. He is accepting applications for the vacancy.

Ashley Wlodarczyk, Ashland, resigned as caseworker 1 in the Children and Youth Service Agency, and Evelyn Miller, New Philadelphia, as aging case aide 2 with Office of Senior Services.

Salary board

The Schuylkill County Salary Board convened after the commissioners' meeting to eliminate the position of clerk 3 in the Domestic Relations Department after it became vacant because of retirement. Commissioner Chairlady Mantura Gallagher lauded President Judge William B. Baldwin for staff cutting to meet this year's budget.

Retirement fund

The Schuylkill County Employees Retirement Fund continues to grow slowly as the market value as reported at the monthly meeting held Wednesday at the courthouse showed it was $85,778,698, as of the day of the report. During the month of January seven members received annuities int he amount of $1,215,253.20; eight received refunds totaling $90,.887.13 and one member received a rollover totaling $30,000.