A new contract with workers at Schuylkill County's nursing home at Rest Haven will cost an additional $159,066.

The money will cover the unanticipated costs of retroactive raises in the contract, according to county finance director Paul Buber."Rest Haven's budget was actually submitted in the fall, and was finalized in December. The retroactive payment didn't come onto the table and wasn't agreed upon until February or March after the budget was already passed," Buber said. "That's why it wasn't included in Rest Haven's budget, and why we had to do the transfer of the difference from the general fund to Rest Haven."The contract runs from 2012 through 2016, so the retroactive payments go back two years.Buber said the nursing home has 95 full time employees. Their total 2013 compensation came to a total of $3.5 million. That means the average compensation comes to about $37,426 each. The new contract calls for a 3 percent wage increase, or about $1,123 more for each employee per year.The contract also eliminates employees' ability to accrue sick and vacation time to use as additional paid time after they leave their jobs. That means they can no longer do that."That's going to result in some nice savings to the county," Buber said.Commissioners on Wednesday approved the supplemental budget appropriation resolution request.In other matters, commissioners approved a request from the Office of Senior Services to increase the Mid Penn Legal Services contract for the 2013-14 fiscal year by $881 due to a 1 percent increase through an aging categorical funds-block grant supplement.Commissioners also approved a request from the adult probation office for a fee for one-year service agreement with Mid Atlantic Monitoring Services of Dunmore to continue to provide Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring services to offenders serving intermediate punishment sentences.Commissioners also approved the purchase of 30 HP 255 G2 notebook PCs, 30 Microsoft Office home and business activation licenses and 12 HP 90w slim adapters at a total cost of $21,168. The purchase will be made through a PA-COSTARS 2010 contract.There will be no cost to the county as funds will be from offender supervision fees.Also on Wednesday, commissioners agreed to increase the number of members on the county zoning hearing board from three to five, at no additional cost.The current members, Daniel Daub, whose term ends Dec. 31, and Scott Thomas, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2016, will serve out their existing terms.Commissioners appointed David Ambrose to a term ending Dec. 31, 2015; Mary Jo Moss to a term ending Dec. 31, 2017; and Eric Seitzinger to a term ending Dec. 31, 2018.Also, commissioners approved a $54,222 contract with Patriots Construction for a 2012 Community Development Block Grant storm water project on Railroad Avenue in Frackville.