In light of an increasing population of Spanish speaking people, Schuylkill County’s Salary Board on Wednesday agreed to pay a secretary in the public defender’s office a little extra to also serve as a translator.

Luis Benitez, of Mahanoy City, will earn a stipend of $70 every two weeks for translating, beginning Nov. 2.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county’s Hispanic population grew by 38.7% from 2020 to 2024.

In 2020, the population was 8,064, or 5.6% of the county’s population. In 2024, it was 11,184, or 7.8%.

In other personnel moves, the salary board approved the employment of Martina McAfee, of West Penn Township, as a case manager trainee with the Drug and Alcohol program. She’ll earn $20.92 an hour, and start on Nov. 9.

Also, two women were hired for the Children and Youth Services Agency as caseworkers.

Amy Berlin, of Shickshinny, will be a caseworker II at $23.75 an hour as of Nov. 2. Val Schaeffer, of Minersville, will be a caseworker 1, earning $22.22 an hour as of Nov. 2.