Four bids for improving the driveway at the Schuylkill Township Tuscarora Fire Company were opened at the work session of the Schuylkill County Commissioners held Wednesday at the courthouse in Pottsville.

The cost will be covered by funds from the county's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.Bidding on the project were, Hazleton Site Contractors, Hazleton, $46,341; Pennsy Supply Inc., Wapwallopen, $48, 588; Bill Davis Cement Contractors, Mahanoy City, $49,998.95; and Hem Construction Company Inc., Pottsville, $30,465.Three bids were received for supplying coal to the courthouse and prison. Penn Keystone Coal Company, LLC, bid to supply 1,000 tons for the current year at a cost of $189,900, second year, $189,900, and third year, $199,900. Reading Anthracite Company bid to supply coal at $169,000 for each of the three years; and Direnzo Coal Company, Pottsville, bid to supply coal only for this year at $225 per ton.One bid was received to supply uniforms embroidered with logo and patches for Schuylkill County Prison Employees for $19,990.76. Commissioner Frank Staudenmeier announced the bids will be reviewed and a decision will be made at a future public meeting.Other businessAngela Toomey, director of the Tax Claim Bureau, reviewed with the commissioners bids received to purchase a property in Coaldale and three lots in East Union Township and requested authority to proceed with the sale.The tax claim bureau acquired the properties for unpaid real estate taxes and by selling them they will be returned to the tax list.An offer of $20 was received from Coaldale Borough for the vacant home at 255 W. High St., formerly owned by Diane and Calvin Breiner. The borough would demolish the building. Bids of $100 each were received from Ralph Bley, Ringtown, for three lots in the Phinneyville Heights section in East Union Township. Two of the lots, both 35 feet by 145 feet, were owned by Emeline Charlotte Peifer, Fairmont, W. Va., and a lot, 35 feet by 140 feet was owned by the Michael Lorah Estate, of Ringtown.A fee for service contract for the Office of Senior Service Agency was approved with Avenues, of Pottsville, for 2,400 days of adult day care services at $51.50 per day; 2,400 meals at $3.44 per meal; 157 hours of personal care services at $14.40 per hour for a contract cap of $134,166.Approval was given William Liptok, public works director, to enter into an agreement with Padfield Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Company, of Saint Clair, to replace an air conditioning unit in the classroom at the county prison at a cost of $19,789.47.Gary Bender, grant writer, asked and received approval to advertise for bids for the Porter Township water line project as part of the county's CDBG program. The project is to install 400 feet of piping along Main Street (Route 4011) in the village of Joliett. Bids must be submitted to the controller's office by July 30 and will be opened at the commissioners work session Aug. 1 and a tentative award date is Aug. 8.Controller Christy D. Joy informed the commissioners that the annual report of the controller to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development as required by the county court was completed. It was a report on the financial operation of the county for 2011."It was filed on time," Joy stated. Under the previous controller, who was not a CPA as Joy is, the report was late and an outside firm had to be hired to assist the controller in completing the report. Joy reported it was completed by him and his staff.Personnel mattersThe commissioners reviewed a number of proposals on personnel appointments, layoffs, and resignations on which action will be take at next Wednesday's public meeting.Tax Claim Bureau seeks to hire Amanda McNulty, Wayne Township, as a per diem research clerk. Rest Haven Home seeks the termination of Melissa Lucas, Lykens, as part time nurse's aide trainee; 9-1-1 Communication Center proposes the promotion of William Lindenmuth, Frackville, to rank of supervisor; Drug and Alcohol Agency recommends the layoff of Mandy Fitzpatrick, Minersville, as drug and alcohol prevention program specialist; and Children and Youth Service Agency seeks to hire Kaylee Moyer, Shenandoah and Paige Nelson, Pottsville, as caseworkers. It was also announced that Debra Fridirici, Schuylkill Haven, has resigned as a social service aide.All the above departments are under the commissioners jurisdiction.Proposals made by other departments were reported to the commissioners. District Attorney Karen Byrnes Noon announced she is appointing Lori Prosick, Frackville, as part time secretary III.