Palmerton has created three new coordinator positions.

Prior to that action, borough council, on a 4-1 vote on Thursday, approved an addendum to the collective bargaining agreement.Councilmen Jason Behler, Richard Nothstein, Kris Hoffner, and Councilwoman Holly Sell were in favor. Council President Terry Costenbader was opposed. Councilmen Jeremy Barbosa and Michael Ballard were absent.William Strauch was appointed as borough water department coordinator on a 4-1 vote, with Costenbader opposed; Keith Simmons as sewer department coordinator on the same measure, and Dennis Behler as public works department coordinator on a 3-1 vote, with Costenbader opposed, and an abstention from Jason Behler.Each of the coordinators will receive a $1 per hour increase in their salary: Struach's salary will increase from $19.93 to $20.93 an hour; Simmons, from $19.93 to $20.93 an hour, and Behler, from $18.68 to $19.68 an hour.After the meeting, Costenbader said he voted against all the appointments because, "At this point in time, I don't really feel we need department coordinators."Council's action comes one month after it appointed utility works coordinator Barry Scherer to a newly-created supervisor position for the public works department, with a $1 an hour raise in salary.Scherer's salary increased from $24.65 to $25.65 an hour.Per the addendum to the collecting bargaining agreement, the purpose of creating these positions is to assist the public works supervisor in coordinating work schedules of the borough.The borough posted each department coordinator position for bidding among the current employees within each department, with the position awarded to the most senior bidder within their department.In the future, if a department coordinator vacancy would occur within any department, such vacant position will be filled utilizing the same posting, bidding and awarding provision, per the addendum.Department coordinators will be responsible to lay out the daily work assignments within their department, and continue to perform their regular job duties.Additionally, the department coordinator shall work with the public works supervisor in coordinating daily operations and workloads within their department and, as necessary, within the entire workforce.At any time when the department coordinator determines the need for additional manpower, they would contact the public works supervisor, who would then go to the other department coordinators for assistance.The public works supervisor shall make the final decision regarding where personnel are utilized.Any personnel issues, such as scheduling conflicts or assignments of duties, shall be resolved by the public works supervisor.During the absence of any department coordinator, those duties will be absorbed by the public works supervisor, not by any step-up mechanism.In the absence of the public works supervisor, those duties will continue to be filled by the present step-up supervisor position as provided in the CBA, and the department coordinators will coordinate work needs with them.