The Schuylkill Township Police Department is getting a new officer, a license plate reader, and its vehicles fixed.

The township supervisors voted 2-1 Monday night to hire Tim Walsh at $21.50 per hour, on an as-needed basis, so long as the hours of the officers in the department add up to 40 hours per week. Supervisor Gary Feathers voted no.

Township Police Chief Frank DiMarco recommended Walsh - who also serves as an officer in Port Carbon Borough and Walker Township - after he did a background check.

“He’s still interested,” DiMarco said, “He’s already certified. He has his own vest and weapon. All he needs is a shirt and patches.”

A resident said the supervisors should have interviewed Walsh, but they and DiMarco said only the chief can do the kind of background check needed to hire an officer.

“He’s the professional,” said Supervisor Mike Boyle, referring to the chief. “I go by his recommendation.”

Walsh replaces Jason Rex, who was suspended in December after he was arrested on charges he used a police computer to find his ex-girlfriend and then confront her and her new boyfriend last May.

Citing the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Safety Act of 2004, which states Lex, 49, of Ringtown, had to be suspended until the charges are disposed of, the supervisors voted to suspend Lex in December - who had been off-duty after the incident, but was reinstated in September.

Lex resigned in a Feb. 4 letter. The supervisors will not vote to formally accept Lex’s resignation until their next meeting Feb. 21.

The supervisors also voted to purchase a license plate reader. The supervisors had to add $575 to the original purchase price because DiMarco said the original vendor, Vigilant, went out of business, so the device will be bought from Green Communications for $17,425.

Supervisor Charles Fayash said the device was being paid for from the remainder of a Morgan Foundation grant which amounts to $16.900. The supervisors decided to kick in the extra $525 from the police budget on the recommendation of DiMarco, who said, “We never go over budget in the police department.”

On a related matter, the supervisors voted to repair a 2014 Dodge Charger to get it back on the road. They also voted to get the department’s Jeep cruiser inspected until the Dodge is back on the road.

DiMarco said he researched the purchase of solar-powered speed limit signs. “Port Carbon (borough) has two of them - one in Palo Alto, and the other along Route 209. We could put one in Brockton, and the other one along Old 209. It would be a good investment.”

The supervisors said they would consider it.

The supervisors also accepted the resignation of Jennifer Fayash - Charles’ wife - from the township board of auditors. Supervisor Fayash abstained from the vote. They then appointed Rich Magnetti to the board.