Schuylkill County commissioners on Wednesday terminated three deputy coroner/investigators from their part-time jobs, not because of any wrongdoing, but because of federal pay requirements.

The employees work full time for the county 911 center, but were working for the coroner's office part time, said Human Resources Director Martina Chawstiak.Because both jobs are county jobs, their hours would be totaled for compliance with federal law.The combined full-time and part-time jobs put their hours over 40 a week, triggering the required time-and-a-half for overtime.Both Chawstiak and Commissioners' Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr. emphasized the terminations were not the fault of the employees, Scott Clews of St. Clair, Joseph Pothering of Branch Township, and Kyle Koury of Cressona."They are good men," Chawstiak said.In other personnel matters, the county Salary Board hired William Liptok, who recently retired from his $52,963 job as public works director, as per diem public works director at $29.10 an hour.The position, on an as-needed basis, started Wednesday and ends July 31.The county last month hired Paul Fetterolf, Butler Township, as interim director of public works for $48,000.Also on Wednesday, retiring county administrator Mark Scarbinsky bid farewell to his colleagues.He was hired as administrator in August 2009 after working for 11 years as director of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation. Scarbinsky's replacement has yet to be selected.He said his tenure as administrator was challenging, and commended officials for their "open lines of communication," and lauded the "teamwork" that allowed him to guide developments in the county.Commissioners and other officials praised Scarbinsky for his dedication and hard work."The county has been well served and was in very capable hands" with Scarbinsky at the helm, Halcovage said.Commissioner Frank J. Staudenmeier recalled working with Scarbinsky over the years, as far back as when Staudenmeier worked for PPL and Scarbinsky for SEDCO."More than a fellow employee, I consider him a friend," he said.Commissioner Gary J. Hess commended Scarbinsky for his "unbiased and nonpolitical" approach."We agreed and sometimes disagreed," he said."That shows you were a good administrator. You had the heart of the whole picture and the day to day operations. You definitely did that well."