Action was taken by the Schuylkill County Commissioners to enter into an agreement with Entech Engineering Inc., Pottsville, for professional services to evaluate the waste water pumping station facility at the state correctional facility (SCI) at Frackville in action taken at its meeting Wednesday in Pottsville.

The firm will study viability of the Frackville Area Municipal Authority taking over the SCI pump station and tying the proposed pre-release center into the system. The cost of this professional engineering study is $9,500.The pre-release center the commissioners seek to construct is to alleviate the crowding in the county prison in Pottsville and will house only those sentenced for non-violent crimes and whose sentences are short and who are eligible for work release. The commissioners have asked for bids to determine the construction cost in which they included a controversial request that it includes a Project Labor Agreement limiting the work to be done by union workers.Other actionThe commissioners, on recommendation of County Treasurer Jacqueline McGovern, approved a two percent salary increase for the tax collector for Pottsville for 2012 through 2015.An agreement was entered with Motorola Company for a service maintenance agreement on console installed at the 9-1-1 Emergency Center at a cost of $292,236.On behalf of Lisa Mahall, director of the real estate department, an agreement was entered into for a non-federal aid supplemental bridge project reimbursement for the replacement construction cost of the county bridge with carries Mill Street over Little Schuylkill River in Port Carbon at a cost of $2,316,000.The agreement is for the preliminary engineering final design and construction costs.The board also accepted the technical and price proposal submitted by traffic planning and design for the construction inspection at a cost of $145,428.28 and will be 100 percent reimbursed by PennDOT.Approval was given to extend the contract with Merrick Group until March 31 to complete the repairs to county bridge carrying Kalmia Road over Wiconisco Creek in Porter Township. Mahall reported the repairs were necessary due to an automobile accident.The commissioners adopted two proclamations, one designating the week of March 14 through 20 as "Daffodil Days" to raise funds to educate on the prevention and early detection of cancer. The second proclamation is to express gratitude and appreciation to Attorney Eric M. Mike for his tireless efforts in the organization of SEAPA Inc. (Schuylkill Elder Abuse Prevention Alliance) to provide an effective framework of by-laws, procedures and committees to ensure safety to senior citizen and to allow them to live as independently as possible.Personnel mattersAction taken on personnel matters were:Court Administration - Mary Timpany, Pottsville, was appointed law clerk for Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin at $37,147 per year to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Barbara Feudale, Ashland.County Prison - Jeffrey Harner, Hegins, and Matthew Farrone, Girardville, were terminated as correctional officers and Barron Line, Pottsville, was hired as a correctional officer at $15.6375 per hour.Rest Haven Home and Hospital - Melissa Ebener and Margaret Lynn, Pottsville, hired as part time nurse's aides at $11.72 per hour; Michelle Linder, Pottsville, transfered from full time nurse's aide to full time housekeeper at $14.3513 per hour; Florence Kehller, Ashland, retired as a part time housekeeper; Crystal Wengert, Pottsville, part time nurse's aide, and Daren Erb, Pine Grove, full time nurse's aide, were both terminated.Public Works Department - John Petrozino, Saint Clair, hired as general maintenance worker at $11.0905 per hour.