Carbon County now has a safeguard in place when it comes to municipal tax collectors.

On Thursday, the board approved the applications for deputy tax collectors, which is a result of Act 164 of 2014, which requires all elected tax collectors with the approval of the tax district and their surety to appoint a deputy tax collector who will collect and settle taxes during any incapacitation of the tax collector in that municipality.The act, which is an amendment to the 1945 rules governing tax collectors, was introduced by state Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon, after the need for a deputy came up in counties.The problem arose in 2013 in Carbon County when then Mahoning Township tax collector Richard Swarcheck was incapacitated and residents paid taxes, but nothing was settled because there was no one to do the bookkeeping.Swarcheck later resigned from the post, then was reinstated to finish his term, which expired Dec. 31, 2013, but an accounting firm was hired to audit his books and sort out accounts.The commissioners said Thursday that this action now helps municipalities make sure an issue like this doesn't happen again.Deputy tax collectors include: Maria A. Makowiec, Banks Township; Sandra E. Eroh, Beaver Meadows; Tracy L. Burbage, Bowmanstown; Wendy K. Kunkel, East Penn Township; Colleen Donlin, East Side Borough; Sarah Ann Graver, Franklin Township; Shaun P. McElmoyle, Jim Thorpe; Pauline Homm, Lisa Nemeth and Josiah Behrens, Kidder Township; Alice Kane, Lansford; Teresa Marie Barna, Lausanne Township; Carol A. Tulay, Lehigh Township; Sherri L. Steigerwalt, Lehighton; Gregory A. Brown, Lower Towamensing; Kim Ginopolas, Mahoning Township; Alice Kane, Nesquehoning; Diane M. Koch, Parryville; Lorayne Reshetar, Packer Township; Michael A. Nemeth, Palmerton; Kim Ginopolas, Penn Forest Township; Daniel J. Wynn, Summit Hill; Karen Ernst, Towamensing Township; Deborah A. Kohler, Weatherly; and Lynnette Moyer, Weissport.In other matters, the commissioners adopted a resolution recognizing April 15 as "Purple Up! For Military Kids Day."April is the Month of the Military Child, an annual awareness campaign that, according to Commissioners' Chairman Wayne Nothstein, recognizes the military families and their children."There are a lot of families out there in the guard units and reserves who are being deployed," he said. "This is a time to educate the public about the stresses military families go through and the sacrifices they make."Nothstein said he remembers the first Christmas away from his family when he was serving in the military, and it wasn't easy.Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard said the commissioners will be attending an event at Weatherly Elementary on Wednesday in honor of Purple Up!He said the reason for purple is because it signifies the color of all the military branches and urged people to wear purple that day in support of military families and children.