Controller Melinda Kantner opposed the salary fixed for newly appointed county solicitor at a meeting held Wednesday by the Schuylkill County Salary Board which followed the commissioners meeting Wednesday at the courthouse.

At the commissioners meeting, Attorney Claude A. Lord Shields, Pottsville, was named the chief solicitor to succeed Attorney Eric Mica, Shenandoah, who resigned for personal reasons.The salary board fixed his salary at $31,163 per year. Kantner claimed it should have been set at the 2010 and not 2011 rate. She pointed out when an auditor was hired in her office earlier this year the board set the salary at the 2010 rate. She also questioned why his appointment was not raised at last week's work session.She voted "no" to the salary of Shields. Approving the salary were Commissioners Mantura Gallagher, Francis McAndrew and Frank Staudenmeier and Treasurer Jacqueline McGovern.There was no problem to fixing salaries of other commissioner appointments.Elaine Schaeffer, Orwigsburg, who retired after 38 years as administrator of Rest Haven Home and Hospital, was hired on a per diem basis until a replacement is named and her salary was set at $38.37 per hour. She had been paid $79,818.34 per year.Maureen Manbeck, Girardville, hired as part time activities assistant and her salary set at $9.50 per hour under AFSCME contract.Jerome Piaskowski, Frackville, hired as aging case aide 2 with Office of Senior Services at $10.88 per hour.The salary board was informed Brian Tobin, Pine Grove, was named chief deputy and his salary set at $33,433 per year.There were two resignations at Rest Haven. Elizaberth Oliver, Cressona, and Denise Bodman, Tamaqua, as part time nurse's aides resigned while there was one resignation in the Office of Senior Services, Kayle Wufsus, Hazleton, as aging care manager 2.