Proclamations were adopted by the Schuylkill County commissioners in commemoration of Rush Township's Bicentennial in 2011 and declaring March as Red Cross Month in action taken at the public meeting held Wednesday at the courthouse in Pottsville.

Supervisors Steven W. Simchak and Robert Leibensperger were present to accept the proclamation on behalf of the township.The proclamation noted the township was established in 1811 and named to honor Judge Jacob Rush, who was the first President Judge of the Third Circuit District and whose brother, Dr. Benjamin Rush, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Over the past 200 years the township has grown from 359 people in1830 to nearly 4,000 in 2010.Janet Curtis and Bob Shirey accepted the proclamation on behalf of the Schuylkill-East Northumberland counties Red Cross Chapter who provide care to victims of devesting natural disaster and to Armed Forces at home and abroad.Other actionApproval was given Sheriff Joseph Groody for the lease of two vehicles for the sheriff's office with a total lease cost of $60,079.80 with payments to be made annually in the amount of $21,204.20. The term of the lease is three years and at the end the county will buy vehicles for $1 each. The vehicles to be financed through the Ford Motor Credit Company and purchased through Wearnock Fleet and Leasing which is under state contract pricing.Controller Melinda Kantner started to raise questions about the purchase but was cut short by Commissioner Mantura Gallagher. After the meeting Gallagher explained that this procedure has been used by the county and many municipalities for years which allows a saving. Commissioner Frank Staudenmeier concurred.After the meeting Kantner said she wanted to question if the new cars will replace any of the current fleet. She pointed out the sheriff has about 10 vehicles which are parked in the courtyard most of day take up valuable parking spaces and wondered if he plans to dispose of any vehicles. Groody was not in his office but his deputies said cars are disposed by attrition and pointed out many have mileages which exceed 100,000 miles.Changes in fee for service contracts were approved for four providers for the Drug and Alcohol Agency, Gaudenzia, Inc., Harrisburg, reducing the contract cap from $180,000 to $140,000; Pennsylvania Treatment and Healing, Middleburg, increasing the contract cap from $5,000 to $60,600; Firetree Limited, Williamsport, increasing the contract cap from $130,867 to $146,467 and White Deer Run, Watsontown, increasing the contract cap from $130,867 to $146,467.Purchase of service agreements for Children and Youth Agency were entered with the following:Glen Mills Schools, Concordville, for enhanced residential at $129.32 per day; Catholic Charities, Allentown, for Kinship care at $13.30 per day; medical Leval I foster care at $58.35 per day and Kinship Home Studies at unit cost of $700; Vision Quest National, Downingtown, for new directions shelter at $160.77; Madalyn Rite of Passage at Breezewood at $206 and Madalyn Lady of the Lakes at $242.64; Catholic Social Services, Hazleton, for infant respite care at $30 per day; respite foster care at $40 and art therapy psychological counseling at $65; Friendship House, Scranton, for medical foster care at $40.30; mother/baby foster care at $63.30 and residential at $151. per day; George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania for regular residential at $95.05 per day; community based Group Homes at $136.65 and intensive supervision at $284.37 pay day.Art Zeplin, Barnesville, was appointed to serve on the Children and Youth Advisory Board for three years ending Feb. 22, 2014.An agreement was entered with Wood Company, a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Sodexo Operations, LLC, Gaithersburg, Md., for the provision of food and nutrition management services at a fee for service agreement at $53,614 plus operating expenses for Rest Haven Home and Hospital and are being sought for laundry and linen rental services.Two leases to strip mine for coal on county held land were renewed, one with White Pine Coal Company Inc., on land in Reilly Township from whom the county received $1,925 in royalty payments during the past year and with Gale Mining Company to mine on land in Schuylkill County from whom the county received $2,562.50 in royalty payments for 12 month period.Personnel mattersAction taken on personnel matters were:Rest Haven Home - Hired were Jane O'Reilly, Pottsville, part time ward clerk, $9.50 per hour; Victoria Naradko, Port Carbon, part time housekeeper, $9 per hour; Diane Houser and Cynthia Nodoline, both of Pottsville, part time licensed practical nurse, $15.99 per hour and Brittany Mathews, part time nurse's aide, $11.72 per hour. Mary Ann Micko, Lost Creek Village, West Mahanoy Township, retired as full time payroll clerk and Diane Bridges, Minersville, and Margaret Lynn, Pottsville, part time nurse's aides, resigned.Kantner announced Sarah McDonough, Orwigsburg, who worked in the county treasurer's office, transferred to the controller's officer to serve as an accounts examiner at $32,302 per year and the Office of Senior Services announced hiring Erika Rhein, Pine Grove, an an unpaid intern.Gallagher announced there will be no commissioners' meeting next week and the next meeting will be a work session on March 9. Gallagher and Staudenmeier conducted the meeting. Commissioner Francis McAndrew was absent.