Schuylkill County commissioners on Wednesday agreed to join Tamaqua Area School District to hire a certified appraiser to determine the value of a property whose owners are appealing its tax assessment.

The appraiser, Frank Gownley, will earn $900 total, of which the county will pay 25 percent, or $225, said county Administrator Mark Scarbinsky.The 83.7-acre commercial property in question is Peaceful Valley Tree Farm, 179 Pine Hill Road, Andreas. It's owned by Steven W. and Kimberly A. Derstine.The current assessed value is $200,700, according to the county's online property records, Peaceful Valley Tree Farm bought the parcel in 2014 for $450,000.In other matters, commissioners approved the $25,575 salary of new part-time Assistant District Attorney Kimm Montone of Pottsville, with Commissioner Gary J. Hess voting no.Commissioners also approved the following personnel moves:In the Election Bureau, the retirement as of March 20 of technology coordinator David Wiscount, of Tremont. He was immediately appointed interim technology coordinator at his same salary, $18.68 an hour, as training coordinator, beginning March 23.In a related matter, Gerald Kuperavage of Port Carbon was hired as a technology coordinator as of March 21. His wage will be $18.68 an hour.In the Children and Youth Services Agency, three caseworkers were hired at $17.10 an hour. They are Samantha Valentine of Coaldale, Andrea Green of Girardville and Tiffani Tobin of Pottsville.The Tax Assessment Office transferred Marcy Kleckner of Orwigsburg from office support/human resources to real estate market analyst at $14.90 an hour.The Human Resources Office appointed Deni Sadusky of Kaska as interim office support/general at $11.09 an hour, retroactive to March 9. She'll be transferred to office support/general, on March 16 at the same wage.The salary board created the position of judicial attendant. A wage has yet to be determined.In other matters, commissioners learned that the county retirement fund took a slight dip between Feb. 28 and Wednesday, going from $128,724,348 to $125,902,998.34, according to Controller Christy D. Joy.