Carbon County’s Salary Board began the process of abolishing longtime vacant positions, as well as updating several job descriptions for employees who have taken on additional responsibilities in a number of departments.

Before the motions, Commissioner Rocky Ahner said that the motions do not eliminate any already filled position, just vacant positions that row officers and department heads deemed could be cut.

He added that as part of this, the employees’ job descriptions were updated to better reflect what they are doing and they will now be better compensated for that work.

The commissioners had said that abolishing vacant positions, while the money was sitting there in the event they were filled, would save the county in the long run.

Commissioners’ Chairman Mike Sofranko said that the last time the county abolished any positions was in 2016, commending department heads for working diligently to work within their department to be able to do these moves.

The following actions were all approved unanimously by the salary board members. All are effective Nov. 24 unless otherwise noted.

• Adult probation: Abolish the position of one specialist I at $14.91 per hour and change the rates of three positions: administrative assistant from $17.27 per hour to $19.07 per hour; specialist II from $22.68 per hour to $24.42 per hour; and treatment court administrative assistant from $16.44 per hour to $17.27 per hour.

• Domestic relations: Abolish the position of specialist I at $14.91 per hour and change the rate of seven other positions: domestic relations director from $31.42 per hour to $32.21 per hour; assistant director from $25.20 per hour to $25.83 per hour; intake caseworker from $28.21 per hour to $28.91 per hour; fiscal coordinator from $18.59 per hour to $19.53 per hour; administrative assistant from $16.44 per hour to $17.27 per hour; specialist II from $16.05 per hour to $16.86 per hour; and specialist II from $15.66 per hour to $16.45 per hour.

• District attorney: Abolish the position of one temporary part-time legal intern at $23.14 per hour, effective Nov. 17.

• Recorder of deeds: Abolish the positions of acting first deputy at $27.89 per hour and acting second deputy at $17.29 per hour, both effective Nov. 13.

• Buildings and grounds: Change the rate of one operation/maintenance director from $35.57 per hour to $38.30 per hour, effective Nov. 17.