Carbon County renewed its annual contract with Lehightonto continue housing the Area Agency on Aging's senior center in the recreation building on south Eighth Street.

But for the first time in eight years, the rent has gone up.The contract approved Thursday is for $1,000 a month. That's up from the $750 in place since 2008. The Agency on Aging has been using the building as a senior center since at least 1999, said county administrator Ellie Ahner.Also on Thursday, commissioners renewed a service agreement with Simplex-Grinnell of Allentown for fire alarm testing and inspection on a system at the county jail in Nesquehoning. The cost increased slightly, from $4,790 to $4,895.The contract runs from Feb. 1 through Jan. 31, 2017.In other matters, commissioners approved transferring a contract for the sale and delivery of office supplies from Klingaman's of Tamaqua to W.B. Mason Company. The company is based in Brockton, Massachusetts, but has a branch in Allentown. The transfer is due to the sale of Klingaman's.Commissioners also agreed to extend a contract with Livingood Contractors of Walnutport to work on a Community Development Block Grant project on Westside Road in Mahoning Township through April 9.Commissioners also authorized a public notice seeking bids for the printing of 2016 election forms and ballots.At the start of the public meeting, Jim Thorpe resident Gerald Strubinger spoke to ask commissioners to not sell the Packerton yards property, and said a proposed footbridge in Jim Thorpe should be dropped or moved to a less crowded place.Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard said the footbridge project was a "done deal," with bids for the work scheduled to go out in March.Last week, developer George Petrole of Northface Development in Palmerton approached the commissioners about buying the former Packerton rail yard. They said they would consider an offer.The county, which bought the land for $352,576 more than a decade ago with hopes of developing an industrial park, is asking $300,000 for it. The parcel straddles Mahoning Township and Lehighton.Commissioners thanked Strubinger for sharing his opinions.