Visitors to the Schuylkill County courthouse on North Second Street in Pottsville are greeted by sheriff's department staff who guide them through a metal detector, check the contents of bags and purses, and answer questions about locations of offices and courtrooms.

But beginning July 7, they'll also be met by an armed sheriff's deputy.Commissioners Wednesday approved the creation of the new job, to be held by former detective Leo Securda of Cass Township. They also approved Securda's transfer from detective 2 to deputy sheriff-security. The job pays the same, $18.14 an hour."We just want to make sure that anyone who does come to the courthouse feels secure," Commissioner George F. Halcovage said outside the meeting."The unfortunate situation is that if there would be any type of situation, the sheriff's assistants who are at the door are not armed, and that puts them at a disadvantage. God forbid (firearms) are ever needed, but we have to consider, do you want to avoid something happening, or react to something happening after the fact?"That possibility is real: Sheriff Joseph Groody told commissioners that the entrance staff confiscates 2,500 to 3,000 weapons every year."The only people who are armed in the courthouse are sheriff's deputies," Halcovage said. "This is something commissioners have talked about for a while. We considered safety, and costs, and the sheriff was able to move around some money in his budget so that we could do this without having any additional cost."In other personnel moves, commissioners accepted the retirement of Human Resources administrative assistant Patricia Hotsko of Tamaqua. They also agreed to transfer her to the job of interim administrative assistant for a month, at $19.92 an hour, so that she can help train her replacement.Hotsko's replacement is Angela Burnham-Mitchell of Mahanoy City, who will be paid $19.55 an hour.Commissioners also hired Tina Zambo of New Philadelphia as a part-time nurses aid at the county nursing home at Rest Haven at $12.43 an hour, and Joann George of Minersville as a full-time nurses aid at the same rate.They also accepted the retirement of Gail Raring of Auburn, a technician in the engineering department, as of July 11. She earned $44,713 a year.The county salary board also approved the transfer of Matthew Stine of Orwigsburg from caseworker 2 in the Children and Youth Services agency to enforcement officer 1 in the Domestic Relations office at $21.03 an hour.It also accepted the resignation of Brittany Webb of Schuylkill Haven from her job as a full-time nurses aide at Rest Haven, and increased the hours of treasurer's office clerk Bradley Gottshall of Frackville from 50 to 70 hours biweekly. The job pay's $14.12 an hour. The increase is through Aug. 29.The board also promoted Lori Lehman of Schuylkill Haven from district justice assistant 1 to secretary 3 in the court administrator's office. She'll earn $18.42 an hour.