Four incumbents were sworn into office on Monday during Carbon County's annual swearing-in ceremony held in courtroom one of the county courthouse in Jim Thorpe.

Joann M. Behrens, Robert Crampsie and Emmett McCall took the oath of office for new four-year terms in county row offices. Joseph Homanko Sr. was also sworn for a new six-year term as a district judge.Behrens was sworn into her fourth term as prothonotary, first elected in 2003; Crampsie took the oath for his seventh term as controller, first elected in 1991; and McCall began his fifth term as recorder of deeds, first elected in 1999. All Democrats, all won re-election last November and all were unopposed.Homanko, who serves in District 56-3-04, which covers the boroughs of Beaver Meadows, East Side, Weatherly and the townships of Banks, Kidder, Lausanne, Lehigh and Packer, began his third term. He is also a Democrat and ran unopposed last year.Behrens is the daughter of Irene B. (Besek) Nonnemacher and the late Kermit Nonnemacher, a lifelong resident of the county and resides in Penn Forest Township with her husband, Josiah "Cy" Behrens. She has two children, daughter Jordan and son Josiah IV.Crampsie, a lifelong county resident residing in Summit Hill, is married to the former Kathy Mangan of Tamaqua, has four children, Colleen, wife of Gino Giantesano; Kara, wife of Dave Nocek; Michael, and his wife, Melissa Gimbor; and Meghan, wife of Daniel Blazosky. They also have seven grandchildren.McCall is the lifelong resident of the county residing in Lansford. He was married to the former Mary Ellen Sniscak, who died on Aug. 26, 2015. They are the parents of five sons, Emmett Jr.; Michael: Patrick and his wife, Ginny; Terry; and Connell, who is deceased. They also have six grandchildren.Homanko is a resident of Beaver Meadows and a 1980 graduate of the former Hazleton Senior High School; 1982 graduate of Luzerne County Community College with an associate degree in applied science in criminal justice; 1982-83 graduate from Lackawanna Junior College in the Act 120 program-Municipal Police Officers' Training and Education Commission.He and his wife, Lisa, have three children.Annual ceremonyThe annual swearing-in ceremony was conducted by District Court Administrator Roberta L. Brewster, who welcomed those attending and who was responsible for putting the entire program together.Remarks were made by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II, and judges of the Court of Common Pleas Steven R. Serfass and Joseph J. Matika.In addition to the swearing in of the various row offices, sheriff, district judge and county commissioners, all court-related personnel were sworn in by the judges.Local elected officials were offered a chance to be sworn in at the ceremony. Those taking the oath of office by a county judge were Lisa Perry and Grant Hunsicker, Lehighton borough council; Rosemary Cannon, Lansford council; Bruce Berger, Kidder Township supervisor; and Lamar Fronheiser, constable for Lower Towamensing Township.The three elected commissioners and the three judges offered remarks during the proceedings.All three judges thanked the various employees in the court-related offices for their dedication and hard work. Nanovic said there was a "lot of hope, expectations and work" ahead in 2016, noting the ever-increasing caseload of both civil and criminal filings. He added, "If we all work together we will accomplish a lot and get a lot done."The Rev. Nancy L. Moore, of Trinity Lutheran Church of Lehighton, offered the invocation and benediction. Tipstaff Susan Bernhard opened the court session and closed it.About 250 friends, relatives and county residents attended the program, which began about 9:30 a.m.