Schuylkill County commissioners kicked off the new year Monday by electing George F. Halcovage Jr. as chairman. He replaces longtime chairman Frank J. Staudenmeier in the office.

All three commissioners — Republicans Halcovage and Staudenmeier, and Democrat Gary J. Hess — kept their seats in the November general election.The board faces a challenging term. The top priority will be resolving overcrowding at the county jail on Sanderson Street in Pottsville.The jail, across the street from the courthouse, was built in 1912. Its “ideal capacity” is 250, but it routinely houses more than that. The overflow is forcing the jail to house as many as three inmates in cells designed to hold two. That’s only allowed by the state in temporary, emergency situations.On July 22, the prison board signed an agreement with the state Department of Corrections agreeing to reduce the prison population. To comply, the county is temporarily sending 40 sentenced inmates to prisons in Delaware and Lycoming counties. Fifteen women will be sent to the state correctional facility at Muncy, about 64 miles away, at a cost of $60 per inmate per day. Twenty-five men will be sent to George Hill Correctional Facility, Thornton, about 83 miles away, at a cost of up to $60 a day each under a one-year agreement.The cost tops the $44.23 Schuylkill spends each day to house each inmate in the county jail.Commissioners and the prison board will be working on a permanent solution this year. That could include building a pre-release center or instituting other programs designed to reduce the jail population.Also on Monday, commissioners set meeting dates.Public work session meetings will be held at 10 a.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Regular public meetings will be held at 10 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays. On April 28, the regular meeting will be held at 6 p.m.; in August, it will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 11.In October, the regular meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, and in November, it will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 10.The salary board meets, when necessary, immediately following the scheduled meetings. The retirement board meets on the second Wednesday of each month immediately following the regular commissioners’ meeting, except for August and November, when the board meets on Thursdays.The meetings are held in the courthouse.The prison board will meet at 11 a.m. Jan. 20, Feb. 17, March 16, April 20, May 18, June 15, July 20, Aug. 17, Sept. 21, Oct. 19, Nov. 16, and Dec. 21. Quarterly meetings, in March, June, September and December, will be held at the prison. The others will be at the courthouse.