Schuylkill County commissioners split along party lines Wednesday to name Gary Bender as interim county administrator/director of economic development for $67,700 a year.

Commissioners appointed Bender to the new position as they search for someone to replace former county administrator Mark Scarbinsky, who retired as of June 6.Scarbinsky may be hired as a temporary consultant to guide his replacement, Commissioners' Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr. said.Bender, who began his new job immediately, said he does not plan to apply for the job of county administrator.Bender, of Tower City, is chairman of the county Republican Committee, and is currently Director of Community Development and Central Services, which pays $51,420 a year.Commissioner Frank J. Staudenmeier and Halcovage, both Republicans, voted in favor of Bender.Democratic Commissioner Gary J. Hess cast the opposing vote, saying he would vote against Bender for the temporary position because of Bender's prominent role in the Republican Party, and because the two other commissioners had about three months to seek applicants, but waited until last week to make it known that they planned to hire Bender.Hess said the administrator's job is the "highest appointed position" and that it entails making decisions affecting the day-to-day operations of the county."I feel this position should be as nonpolitical and unbiased as it can be, no matter what the person's political affiliations are," he said."My problem is that it is going to the chair of a political party. I feel that this is not right, and in a way, I feel that it is unethical," Hess said."This is in no way an attack on Mr. Bender's work ethic or his capabilities with doing the job at all. It's the position that he holds in the party," he said.Hess said he would feel the same way about a Democrat under the same circumstances."I'm very disappointed. It was not until Thursday or Friday of this past week that I was informed of the intention of Mr. Bender's appointment. My feeling is that this was planned all along," Hess said.It was Bender, not his fellow commissioners, who told him of the proposal to hire him.After the public meeting, Bender told reporters his role as GOP committee chairman stays out of his courthouse life, and that he has a history of working well with Democrats, including state Rep. Neal P. Goodman."Politics stops at the door when I walk in in the morning," Bender said.He pointed to his years of working in government to illustrate his qualifications for the position."I have a wealth of experience in county government," he said.Halcovage said after the meeting that Bender's appointment was a "logical transition" and that he was confident he would do an "outstanding job."He also countered Hess' statements about the time range."We wanted to make sure we were making a good decision. I don't think the timing of that is as major an item as having a good transition going forward and getting someone into the position as soon as possible," he said.Bender learned as he worked with former assistant county administrator Paul Straka, who resigned in January 2013.Bender was hired in 2006 as the county's grant writer/ administrator. Other responsibilities were added through the years, including administering the demolition program, Community Development Block Grant programs for the county and several municipalities, including West Penn Township and Tamaqua.In 2013, he was assigned to approve purchase orders and check requests, along with other office purchases.Bender also is chairman of the county planning commission, and has served on the NEPA Transportation Committee, and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund board.With that kind of experience, Bender said, "I will take a back seat to no one in terms of credentials to do the job."