Carbon officials remind residents that Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who served this country and made the ultimate sacrifice.

During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, Henry Desrosiers, director of the Carbon County Veterans' Affairs office, spoke about the upcoming Memorial Day weekend."Monday, the 26th of May is Memorial Day," he said. "Unfortunately, many people believe that Memorial Day is the beginning of the summer season and a holiday from work, but for those of us who have served our country in the armed forces and those who are still serving, and especially to the families who have lost loved ones serving in our country, it is a solemn day of remembrance and a day to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice."I have a very simple message to the residents of Carbon County and neighbors in Schuylkill, Monroe, Luzerne and Lehigh: All our veterans organizations will be conducting memorial services on Sunday and Monday ... I ask that everybody please come out and join the veterans organizations in paying the respect that is due to our fallen comrades. These men and women sacrificed their lives for us so we could enjoy the liberties that we enjoy today," Desrosiers said.He explained that there are a number of parades on Monday throughout Carbon County, including in Summit Hill, Lehighton, Weatherly, Nesquehoning and Palmerton.For a list of all Memorial Day events, see page 17.In other matters, Betty Lou McBride, owner of the Old Jail in Jim Thorpe, thanked the commissioners for "reconsidering and re-evaluating" the increase in the parking lot fee and decreasing it again."I just want to say thank you on behalf of the business members of the Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency and Old Jail and Treasure Shop," she said. "It will make a difference for us."The board also acted on the following items:• Approve an overview/syllabus/contract with West Chester University's Department of Political Science for an internship. Heath Markley, a student at West Chester, will work in adult probation from May to August.• Reappoint Terrence Purcell, Craig Zurn, Cheri Santore and Rick Walters to the Pocono Counties Workforce Investment Board. They will serve three-year terms, effective July 1.• Approve an addendum to a professional services agreement with Ecedent LLC, Indiana, Pennsylvania, dated Feb. 2, 2008. The addendum increases the maintenance and upgrade fee for the year, from February 2014 through February 2015, to $705, an increase of $210.