August is Child Support Enforcement Awareness Month in Carbon County.

During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, the board voted to adopt a proclamation to help ensure that children receive "emotional, financial and medical support they deserve from their parents."Commissioner Wayne Nothstein, chairman, read the proclamation following the adoption.It reads, "The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is committed to families and caregivers ensuring children receive emotional, financial and medical support they deserve from their parents. County and state child support professionals maintain a high degree of effectiveness and demonstrate a remarkable partnership between state and local government, and the executive and judicial branches of government."The Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Program is focused on families first to improve the lives of children in Pennsylvania by providing exceptional customer care, establishing programs to assist families, and making child support a reliable source of income."The proclamation continues that "Pennsylvania disbursed $1.3 billion to custodial parents" in 2010-2011 and "Pennsylvania is a leader in providing employment and training to non-custodial parents;" as well as a leader in the "Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Program exceeding all federal performance standards for establishment of support orders and paternity, collections of current support and arrears, and cost effectiveness."Nothstein addressed Mary Kunkel, director of Domestic Relations; Pierre Guichardan, assistant director of Domestic Relations; and Roberta Brewster, county court administrator; and thanked them for all their efforts and dedication to the children.Kunkel pointed out that of that $1.3 billion, Carbon County collected $7 million."We're meeting all performance standards as well," she said.Kunkel then distributed blue ribbons, which are to be worn on Monday in observance of the awareness month.Nothstein thanked her and her staff for the excellent job they are doing.In other matters, the county is handling a problem at its animal shelter.During a phone interview on Friday, Nothstein said a personnel issue at the shelter has come up, and the county is handling it.He noted that the dogs at the shelter will still be taken care of no matter what, and that it will not be closed."We're doing what needs to be done to care for the animals," he said.Nothstein said officials are working to resolve the issue and that no other information could be released at this time.On Thursday, a number of shelter volunteers attended the commissioners' meeting to talk about how they felt the shelter operations had improved over the last few months.Tom Zimmerman IV of Lehighton, who organized a fundraising committee for the shelter, presented the board with $1,007 in funds the group raised for the shelter over the last two weeks.The board also approved the 2012 Workforce Investment Area financial agreement, commencing July 1, 2012 and terminating June 30, 2013, for employment and training and related administrative services between Carbon County, administrative entity, and Monroe County. Maximum payment shall not exceed $1,211,238.