Proposal made to eliminate block grant director position

When a budget is tight ways are found on how to cut spending by imposing economical restrictions, which were discussed at the by-weekly work session held Wednesday by the Schuylkill County commissioners at the courthouse in Pottsville.

A proposal was submitted not to fill the position of director of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program after the director, Tom Gallagher, of Frackville, resigned last week. The proposal is to consolidate it with the position of grant writer and give it a new title of CDBG Coordinator/Grant Administrator.

Actually it is the consolidation of three posts which at one time were manned separately. At one time there was a demolition director, which was not filled but its duties taken over by the grant writer and now the CDBG post is also taken over by the grant writer.

The current grant writer is Gary Bender, of Tower City. The salary proposed for the new position is $38,262. At one time the salaries of each of the mentioned positions were in the same range or higher plus health benefit coverages. Suddenly it was discovered one person could do the three jobs and there was no large pay increase. Also the pay of this position is born chiefly by a state grant.

The commissioners were also informed that Diane Scheibley, Tremont, was retiring as map technician in the tax assessment office. At the salary board portion of the work session the proposal at next week's public meeting is to eliminate this position and also to eliminate a position in the maintenance department and also the CDBG director position. This will be additional savings of salaries of two employees.

In other business at the work session the commissioners reviewed contracts to provide services to the Childlren and Youth Service Agency, the Office of Senior Services, Drug and Alcohol Agency and Public Works Department.

Also contracts were reviewed for making a chemical analysis of the water for the heating systems at the county prison, Rest Haven Home for elderly and the courthouse. They also reviewed several grant applications prepared to seek funds for various projects.