Schuylkill County commissioners on Wednesday hired Ronnie C. Folk Paving Inc., Shoemakersville, at a cost of $29,600 to pave the prison parking lot.

The county prison is on Sanderson Street in Pottsville, across from the courthouse.

Folk Paving was the lowest, most responsive of two bidders. The other company vying for the job was Franzosa Trucking Co. of Hazleton, which bid $32,970.

In other matters, commissioners approved the purchase of two police interceptor vehicles from Kovatch Ford, in Nesquehoning, for $61,918.

The purchases, for the Domestic Relations office, were made through the state’s COSTARS program.

COSTARS, a program of the Department of General Services, allows government agencies, nonprofit educational or public health institutions or organizations; any nonprofit fire, rescue or ambulance companies, to find the best contracts for everything from food to backhoes among the companies registered as suppliers.

The funds for the purchase were budgeted for and are from incentive moneys that have been awarded to the office based on its performance measures.

There is no cost to the county for the purchase of the vehicles.

The county salary board approved the promotion of Barron Line of Schuylkill Haven from corrections officer to lieutenant, at an annual salary of $56,641.

Also on Wednesday, commissioners approved the appointment of Keith A. Baker to the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board.

His term runs from June 14, 2018, through June 30, 2022.

In other matters, members of the Pottsville Shade Tree Commission asked the county to plant trees in the parking lot of the Children & Youth Services building at 324 N. Centre St. The agency had been housed at 410 N. Centre St., but needed more space.

The county acquired the 324 N. Centre St. building in January 2012 and renovated it, moving in the agency in early 2016.

Diana Beausang of the commission said the county commissioners had a verbal agreement to plant trees in the lot.

County Administrator Gary R. Bender said that wasn’t so.

Trees would push up the asphalt and buckle sidewalks, he said.

There was an ordinance in place to plant trees on newly constructed areas, but not for renovation projects, he said.

An ordinance has since been adopted to require plantings, Beausang said.