The Schuylkill County Commissioners took action on several matters which needed prompt attention at their work session held Wednesday at the courthouse in Pottsville.

A resolution was adopted indicating the county's desire to continue involvement in the regional comprehensive development strategy of Northeastern Pennsylvania Development District. NEPO is the designated economic development district for this region and is currently preparing its comprehensive economic development strategy (CED) annual performance report which is required by the Economic Development Administration, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce.The CED is a planning process developed with broad-based and diverse community participation that addresses the economic problems and potential of an area, it promotes sustainable economic development and opportunity, it analyzes regional conditions, identifies problems and opportunities, defines regional goals, designs strategies to achieve these goals and evaluates and updates the process.Bids openedTwo bids were opened for installing a handicap access and boat mooring at the Sweet Arrow Lake County Park near Pine Grove.Arthur "Pat" Aungst Inc., Pine Grove, bid $20,898 and Landis C. Deck and Sons, Bernville, $35,777. The bids were submitted to a committee for review.Other contracts awarded included the following: to Penn Earthworks Inc., Hazle Township, for demolition of a building at 53 N. Kennedy Drive in McAdoo for $11,800; a contract to Dudash Pipeline Company, Pottsville, for demolition of a building at 124 Savory St., Palo Alto, at a cost of $9,444; and a contract to Schuylkill Paving Inc., Pottsville, for a storm-water project on Oak Street in Girardville for $60,180.Permission was granted to the Office of Senior Services to file an application for a grant of $103,827 for the senior community service employment program. The grant money will be used to provide funding for 11 subsidized employment positions.Approval for a grant-in-aid application to administer pass through funds for the juvenile court judges' commission for improving juvenile justice services in Pennsylvania. The grant package is in the amount of $1,644,994 and will be effective July 1 to June 30, 2011. This is a continuation of a previous grant.A local economic revitalization tax assistance act (LERTA) was adopted for cooperation with both the borough of Frackville and North Schuylkill School District in their efforts to assist with revitalization of a designated area in the borough. The purpose of the act is to give an incentive to construction of new businesses in the area of Lehigh Avenue to Oak Street a tax break for five years to build in that area.The commissioners will hold next week's public meeting on Wednesday, July 28, at 10 a.m. at the Pioneer Tunnel Pavilion in Ashland.