Federal and state funds were received by the Schuylkill County Transportation Authority, which operates the county bus system. The Schuylkill County Commissioners accepted and executed the consolidated operation assistance grant agreement for 2011-2012 season during Wednesday's work session.

The fixed route program will receive $537,305 of federal funds and $1,209,887 in state funds. The federal and state funds, in conjunction with $163,811 in other project revenue and match from Bieber Transportation Group in the amount of $49,082, will be combined with the county's local match share of $163,436.The authority reports this will allow Schuylkill Transportation System (STS) to provide 25,938 hours of bus service to an estimated 231,565 passenger trips form July 1 to June 30, 2012, at a total estimated project cost of $2,078,421.The shared ride for older adults, persons with disabilities and welfare to work programs, will be funded as follows: shared ride for older adults, $807,120; shared ride for people with disability, $197,148; and welfare to work riders, $130,846.This will provide approximately 60,184 discounted shared ride trips to older adults, 15,055 trips per persons with disabilities and 5,612 trips for the welfare to work program. The authority reported more people are using buses as gas prices rise and every effort is made to accommodate the riders.ClearanceCounty Solicitor Robert Frycklund reviewed with the commissioners actions he is requesting to be taken at next week's public meeting pertaining to real estate properties in a number of communities.A compromise agreement reached between the county and two boroughs and a township to strike down taxes owed on a number of buildings was presented to the commissioners for approval.Frackville has three contiguous residential parcels at 524, 530 and 532 W. Howard St., which were destroyed by fire on Jan. 2. They will be demolished. Total taxes owed are $3,726.95. The county's portion is $710.98.Minersville acquired a residential parcel at 100 Sunbury St., which was destroyed by a fire in 2010, and plans to demolish the building. Taxes due are $11,841.87 and are asked to be stricken. The county's share of those taxes total $1,649.77. The solicitor informed the board once the land has been cleared it will be put up for sale to get it back on the tax role.Norwegian Township acquired a vacant lot consisting of 0.09 of an acre located on SR4042, which it plans to use for a municipal parking lot. Real estate taxes due are $14,723.44 and asked to be stricken. The county's share of those taxes totals $2,272.59.Gilberton has made an offer to purchase from the tax claim bureau five flood-damaged properties located on Main Street for purpose of demolition and made an offer of $2 per parcel.The tax claim bureau is asking permission to sell at a private sale a property at 248 Nichols St., Pottsville. It has received a bid of $565 from Ann Hutsko.Other businessCounty engineer Lisa Mahall asked for approval of an agreement with Fidler Brothers Construction Company, Pottsville, to remove debris accumulated under two county bridges, Line Street and Maple Street. Both bridges carry the roads over Goodspring Creek in Tremont. The cost is $7,980. Mahall said Fidler was the low bidder for the project.A proclamation was adopted designating Aug. 1-7 as "National Clown Week" in the county to thank "those special people we affectionately call clowns for their tireless efforts to make us laugh."A budget adjustment was approved for the court administrator's office to replace a telephone system in District Justice James Reiley's office in Pottsville, which is 16 years old. The budget change is taking $2,805 from the telephone account and placing it in the capital building improvement account.