The Schuylkill County commissioners are not changing their stance on supporting paycheck protection legislation.
Commissioner Gary J. Hess, the lone Democrat on the board, made another motion Wednesday at a work session to rescind a resolution made in March expressing the county's support of legislation proposed in both the state House and Senate requiring labor unions to collect its dues, political contributions and fair-share fees rather than deduct them from government employee paychecks. The resolution was approved on a 2-1 vote, with Hess opposing.
Hess noted that the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania withdrew its resolution of support last week while the votes on House Bill 1507 and Senate Bill 1034 have been delayed.
"I know it will continue to be discussed and debated many times, but I would like to make a motion to rescind this resolution." Hess said.
The motion was not seconded, so it did not go to a vote.
It was not the first time the commissioners were asked to rescind the resolution. On March 19, Kutztown University professor and former Democratic state representative in the 125th Legislative District Tim Seip, LSW, and five county residents belonging to private sector unions asked the board to reverse the decision.
However, the commissioners did not act or even comment on the request.
In other action, the commissioners discussed the Schuylkill County Communications Center upgrades.
Scott Krater, county communications coordinator, said the upgrades to the emergency communications system remain on schedule.
The Federal Communications Commission mandated the narrowbanding of county emergency communication to be operational by Dec. 31, 2013, but Schuylkill County was granted a waiver extending the deadline another year.
Narrowbanding the radio frequencies will allow a system to accommodate more radios while improving transmission quality and creating additional options for emergency communications, including signal encryption for police and other emergency personnel. Testing had to be done when leaves were on the trees since they can cause interference.
"We are on schedule for testing to start in the beginning part of May." Krater said.
Krater said the project will wrap up by July 10.
Motorola Solutions Inc. is making the upgrades for $16,388,145. As of Monday, $12,478,813.40 was spent on the project. It is being funded through a $21,175,000 bond issued by the commissioners in October 2012.
Also at the meeting, the county sheriff's office did some reorganizing. Scott Taylor, Frackville, was promoted from sergeant to captain; Maureen Barnes, West Brunswick Township, was promoted from real estate deputy sheriff to lieutenant; and Keith Berezwick, New Ringgold, was promoted from deputy sheriff to sergeant. The lieutenant and captain positions had to be created while the major and real estate deputy sheriff positions were eliminated.
The changes go into effect Monday.
A Port Carbon polling site was also changed from JT Catering, formerly known as Tassone's, 318 Washington St., to the First United Methodist Church on Washington and Pike streets.
At the meeting, demolition projects in Girardville, Ashland and Frailey Township received bids. The three projects include 911 Brock St., Ashland; 106, 108, 112 and 116 W. Main St., Girardville; and 0 Cedar Alley, Frailey Township.
The properties in Giardville are being demolished to make way for six rental units being built by Schuylkill Community Action. Companies were allowed to bid on individual projects.
Bids for the Ashland project were: Affordable Construction and Demolition LLC, Coal Township, $12,940; Madonna Enterprises Inc., Port Carbon, $32,000; Patriots Construction Company Inc., Hazleton, $19,400; Reilly Mechanical, Minersville, $29,400; and Northeast Industrial Services Corp., Shamokin, $28,890.
Bids for the Girardville project were: Farhat Excavating LLC, Halifax, $100,000; Affordable Construction and Demolition LLC, Coal Township, $52,550; Madonna Enterprises Inc., Port Carbon, $86,600; Patriots Construction Company Inc., Hazleton, $59,300; Reilly Mechanical, Minersville, $124,900; Dudash Pipeline Inc., Pottsville, $63,111; Northeast Industrial Services Corp., Shamokin, $104,500.
Bids for the Frailey Township project were: Maurer Excavating, Hegins, $12,800; SDL Construction, Orwigsburg, $17,000; Schlegel Excavating Inc., Milmont, $37,170; Farhat Excavating LLC, Halifax, $45,000; Affordable Construction and Demolition LLC, Coal Township, $7,500; Madonna Enterprises Inc., Port Carbon, $12,500; Patriots Construction Company Inc., Hazleton, $14,660; Reilly Mechanical, Minersville, $69,800; Dudash Pipeline Inc., Pottsville, $8,711; and Northeast Industrial Services Corp., Shamokin, $32,890.
The commissioners' public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. April 9 in the board room. The retirement board meeting will immediately follow the public meeting Wednesday.