It’s so nice when a huge budget adjustment is necessary because of more money, not less.

During a meeting Wednesday, on the advice of Director of Finance Paul Buber, the Schuylkill County Commissioners approved a $6.5 million budget adjustment for the Schuylkill County Transportation Authority.

Buber said that STS officials didn’t include the money in 2019 when preparing the 2020 budget, because it wasn’t definite that the funding would be available.

The additional money is a combination of federal and state funds, Buber said.

After the meeting, Commissioners’ Chairman George Halcovage said that the money would be used for the purchase of property for the new location of the STS headquarters and terminal, which is at the intersection of Route 61 and Wade Road.

The funds will also be used to demolish a building at the site, which was the location of a foundry, as well as construction of a new building.

STS is currently located in the Saint Clair Industrial Park.

The new location was desirable to STS because of the on-site availability of natural gas, which will be used to refuel buses and other transportation equipment.

In other action, the commissioners named Planning & Zoning GIS Analyst Janelle Wilde to serve as alternate zoning officer. The county contracts with Light-Heigel and Associates, Schuylkill Haven, for zoning officer work, but the firm has furloughed its employees who do that work.

The commissioners also approved the Retirement Board Report from Controller Christy Joy.

The value of the county’s retirement fund at the end of March was $120,096,546, but as of April 8 the fund had rebounded to $141,744,546.

On the request of Joy, the commissioners approved paying Wilmington Trust $25 to take responsibility of filing class action lawsuits.

Wilmington Trust, an investment management firm, is a custodian of the county’s retirement fund.

Halcovage and Commissioner Gary Hess recognized county employees for the hard work being done during the COVID-19 crisis.

“Stay home when you can,” Hess said. “That’s the only way we’re going to beat this.”