The Schuylkill County Salary Board on Wednesday agreed to hire a retired Register of Wills employee and pay him the salary he would have reached had he stayed on the job instead of what he was earning when he left.

Jeffrey Marnell, Ringtown, will resume his role as Second Deputy as of April 3 at $20.82 an hour.

Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr. asked for confirmation that when the board had previously considered bringing Marnell, who retired five years ago, back, “we would start him at the base rate at that time for the second deputy?”

Register of Wills Theresa Santai Gaffney said she’d “have to look,” but thought the county would be bringing him back at the salary he had earned when he retired.

“This is the rate that he left with,” she said.

“So we’re giving him a higher rate than what we would give a starting person?” Halcovage asked.

Gaffney said, “He has seven years’ experience, and he knows the job. There’s still more to learn because there are additional jobs to the position. You’re welcome to come up and see what the duties are,” she told Halcovage.

Gaffney said she discussed the salary with County Administrator Gary R. Bender and the Human Resources Department, and the union.

“It was also discussed with commissioners, “ Bender said.

“We had the latitude there” concerning the provisions of the AFSCME contract that governs row office employees.

County Controller Sharyn Yackenchick said the union approved Marnell’s return at the salary he earned when he left.

“I know you were worried about setting precedent on it, and I have people that we have brought back in Children and Youth that make exactly what they had made.

“Now I know it’s not exactly five years, Commissioner Halcovage, but if they had left within the last year to year-and-a-half, what they left at, we actually bring them back at.”

Halcovage said that because when the Board considered bringing Marnell back the last time, it would be at the base rate.

“I know you’re worried about setting a precedent, but we have done that in the past,” Yackenchick said.

She joined other members of the board - the three commissioners, and Register of Wills Theresa Santai Gaffney - in voting in favor of the salary.

Halcovage paused for several seconds before casting his yes vote.