A contract to make repairs to a county bridge in Tamaqua Borough was awarded by the Schuylkill County Commissioners at Wednesday's public meeting held at the courthouse in Pottsville.

Bill Anskis Company Inc., of Elysburg, which was the low bidder, received a contract in amount of $210,807 to make repairs to the bridge which carries Greenwood Street over Panther Creek in Tamaqua. To be repaired is the deck, approaches to the bridge and guide rails.Two proclamations were adopted, one in conjunction with the National Telecommunicators Week by honoring the staff of the Schuylkill County Emergency 9-1-1 Dispatch Services. Commissioner Frank Staudenmeier read the proclamations which stated the county center has answered more than 118,000 calls for service from residents and visitors to the county in 2010.Accepting the proclamation was Scott Krater, director, and Mark Cuttic and George Noecker, telecommunicators. The second proclamation was read by Commissioner Mantura Gallagher, noting the 125th anniversary of CCAP (County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania) and the county commissioners' appreciation of CCAP working with the commissioners to "Restore the Partnership" among all levels of government to better serve Pennsylvania's communities.Gallagher reported all three commissioners are members and are able to get the county's voice into obtaining benefits.Contracts were entered with two firms to provide services to the Children and Youth Services Agency; Family United Network, Muncy, for medical foster care at $25.60 per day; mother and child foster care at $106.03 per day and diagnostic evaluation at $199 per day; and with NHS Youth Services, of Harrisburg, for shelter care at $222.34 per day; and sex offenders at $275 per day.Energy savingsCommissioner Gallagher gave an update on the county's energy conservation program which was installed in 2009 and went completely on line in 2010. The report shows the county saved, via measurement and verification, a total of $81,677 when the guaranteed savings were $65,586. The county's savings total $16,091 above the guaranteed energy savings.Energy conservation was accomplished by changing the heating systems at the courthouse, prison and Rest Haven Home by switching to natural gas at Rest Haven and at the courthouse and prison burning gas during the summer month and coal in the winter. Among the future energy conservation proposals would be water efficiency fixtures in the prison and Rest Haven.The commissioners were presented by Register of Wills Michael McCord, who is chairman of the county bicentennial committee, a portrait of the current courthouse building, which will be hung in the courthouse hallway. Currently, there are pictures of the first courthouse building in McKeansburg and one later in Orwigsburg, before it was moved to Pottsville, but there was no picture of the current structure.The picture is a drawing made by artist Howard Watson, formerly of Pottsville. McCord said prints can be obtained at $25 per copy with the monies to be used toward the bicentennial celebration. The next event is a fireworks display at the county's new public park at Sweet Arrow Lake in Pine Grove Township. In October an event will take place with the burial of a capsule devoted to current history.New solicitorActions were taken concerning personal matters, including:Attorney Edward Brennan retired after serving as a part-time county solicitor and his position was filled by attorney Richard Thornburg, whose salary was set at $27,946.In the Children and Youth Services Agency, Amanda Aungst, Pine Grove; and Lynde Zachary, West Brunswick Township; were hired as caseworker 1 at $16.1944 per hour.At Rest Haven Home and Hospital, Angela Toomey, Pottsville, was hired as a full-time accounting clerk at $12.50 per hour. It was announced Carissa Long, Orwigsburg, resigned as a part-time nurse's aide, and David Troutman, Schuylkill Haven, as a full-time nurse's aide.At the county prison, David Whitman, Jr., Hegins, and Kevin Swatt, Valley View, were hired as correctional officers at $15.6375 per hour.In the county treasurer's office, Judy Howard, Butler Township, was promoted from part-time clerk to full-time clerk typist at $14.61 per hour.George D. Andrews, Hazleton, and Bud Quandel, Pottsville, were reappointed as members of NEPA (Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance) Board of Directors for two-year terms ending June 30, 2013.Change meeting placeThe commissioners' next public meeting, originally scheduled for Wednesday, April 27 in the commissioners' office at the courthouse, will now take place on the same day at the North Schuylkill High School Auditorium at 15 Academy Lane, Ashland at 10 a.m.Salary boardAt the meeting of the county salary board, controller Melinda Kantner cast a no vote for the salary set for the new county solicitor, claiming the commissioners erred in setting his salary for the 2011 scale and it should have been set for the 2010 salary scale. The three other members of the board, Commissioners Mantura Gallagher, Francis McAndrew and Frank Staudenmeier voted for the higher salary.Retirement boardThe monthly meeting of the Schuylkill County Employees Retirement Board followed the commissioners' meeting. Controller Melinda Kantner, who serves as its secretary, reported the market value of the retirement fund as of March 31 was $98,557,070, a new high; however, a check on its value as of today shows it dropped slightly to $98,175,452.35. Her report also showed one member received a refund of $4,846.65; one member received a rollover of $5,081.41 and two retirees passed away with remaining annuities of $336.80.