Carbon County has reached an agreement with one of its unions.

On Thursday, the county commissioners approved a collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME AFL-CIO, District Council 87 and Local 2483. The agreement, which covers 33 employees in various departments, is retroactive to Jan. 1 and runs through Dec. 31, 2020.The commissioners said that through the new agreement in place, those employees will receive a 3 percent raise annually over the next four years.There are some increases in copays for medical insurance.Employees will pay $8 more per pay for 2017 and $5 more per pay from 2018 to 2020.Commissioner William O'Gurek said that this is still minimal considering an employee on a single plan will pay $32 per pay and $52 per pay for a family plan.The board pointed out the county pays mid- to upper-$20,000s for a medical plan per employee.A few changes to prescription plans and uniform allowances were also addressed in the new contract, the commissioners said.In other matters, the board approved a software and equipment maintenance agreement with C-K Alarm Systems, Mountain Top, to provide hardware support on Honeywell MX-8000 digital receiver and emergency software support through Micro-Key Solutions on the 911 alarm monitoring system at a cost of $3,060 per year.Commissioners' Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that the digital receiver allows dispatchers to get calls directly into the communications center from home alarm systems instead of first going to a possible out-of-state company."It cuts down on the response time for our emergency responders," he said, adding that it is a vital part of the emergency dispatch center.PersonnelThe commissioners also approved:• The retirement of Diane J. Sniscak of Nesquehoning as the clerk-stenographer-receptionist in the Cooperative Extension office, effective May 9.• The sheriff's appointment of Robert E. Gogal of Danielsville as special deputy sheriff trainee, effective April 10.• The change of status for Justin E. Markell of Lehighton from senior dispatcher to 911 addressing coordinator, Communications Center, effective April 10.• Robert S. Frycklund of Lehighton from third assistant district attorney to third assistant district attorney and solicitor for the tax assessment and tax claim offices, effective April 10.• David J. Harrison of Nesquehoning from temporary parking attendant to part-time parking attendant, effective April 10.• Jenni K. Hoffman of Lehighton from part-time dispatchers trainee to part-time dispatcher, Communications Center, effective April 10.