Schuylkill County recouped $53,895 in delinquent property taxes owed on land along SR61 in in Pottsville.

Commissioners on Wednesday agreed to sell the 7.96 acres to Blackstone Funding, an Orwigsburg working capital company. Blackstone had bid on the land, which was being auctioned because its owners, Seven Hills Hospitality, had fallen behind on taxes.Currently, $54,282 is owed in back taxes on the property, according to the Tax Claim Bureau.The site housed a restaurant that burned down in November 2011.Also on Wednesday, commissioners agreed to a plan by the Real Estate/Engineering department to simplify monthly royalty payments from coal lease agreements.County engineer Lisa Mahall said that currently, the payments are determined by using a complicated formula.Under the streamlined method, as of March 1, the lessees will make either the minimum royalty payment as outlined in their leases, or the monthly coal removal royalty, whichever is greater.In other matters, commissioners approved a grant application that could bring $300,000 into the county to encourage arrest policies and enforce protection orders. The grant would come through the U.S. Department of Justice.Commissioners also approved a commitment of $25,000 for Independence Square in Orwigsburg.The project would build 20 rental housing units for people aged 62 and older.In other business, commissioners approved several personnel moves:They hired Christine Hunter of Saint Clair as full-time assistant director of nursing at Rest Haven, the county nursing home. She'll be paid $54,992.Charlene Esler, also of Saint Clair, was hired as a part-time storeroom clerk at $9 an hour; and Veronica McCuller of Girardville, was hired as a part-time nurses' aid at $11.72 an hour.Commissioners accepted the resignation of Shannon Grutza of Barnesville from her job as a full-time nurses aid.In the district attorney's office, commissioners accepted Samantha Hablett of Schuylkill Haven and Kyle Ferrari of West Brunswick Township as unpaid interns.They raised the salary of part-time assistant district attorney Debra Smith of New Philadelphia to $25,575. the increase brings Smith's salary in line with other assistant district attorneys. However, Commissioner Gary J. Hess disagrees with the way the salaries are increased, and voted against the raise.Commissioners accepted the resignation of Charles Jason Macunas of South Manheim Township from his job as a probation officer in the adult probation department, and that of Richele Hair of Pottsville from job as Aging Care Manager 2 in the Office of Senior Services.