The Schuylkill County Courthouse is getting an armed guard at the door.
A detective in the district attorney's office will be transferred to the security position in the sheriff's department.
The county salary board created the position Wednesday following the commissioners' public meeting.
Leo Securda, Cass Township, will keep the same hourly rate of $18.14 when he starts the new position July 7.
"The whole time that courthouse is open, there will be an armed deputy at the door," Sheriff Joseph G. Groody said.
Groody said he has been trying for a number of years to put an armed guard at the door. The entrance has been guarded by part-time workers, and Groody said they confiscate 2,500 to 3,000 weapons a year. The sheriff deputies are the only people armed in the courthouse.
"The guys and gals that are there do a good job, but no one is armed," Groody said. "I thought that with the way things are getting anymore, anything can happen, and I thought it was a necessity to have an armed deputy there."
Securda, as a detective, already has all the required training.
"I wanted someone hired as soon as possible to make sure it is covered," Groody said.
Eventually, additional security may be hired, Groody said. The district attorney's office now has a vacant detective position.
The salary board also created an interim position in the human resources department. Patricia Hotsko, Tamaqua, will be retiring as administrative assistant at the end of July. She will serve the position on an interim basis until then, starting July 7. The board also appointed Angela Burnham-Mitchell, Mahanoy City, to the administrative assistant position.
In other business, nine projects will receive funding under the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The commissioners approved the recommendations made last week by Jeffrey A. Feeser, director of housing at Schuylkill Community Action. A total of $275,550 was requested, but only $202,604 was available in funding.
Panic alarms will be installed in the magisterial district judge courtrooms. The commissioners approved the purchase Wednesday for $6,981. County Finance Director Paul Buber said that money will be reimbursed through an Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts grant.
The commissioners approved the sale of 16 surplus vehicles for $10,903.50. Vehicles varied in model and year from 1991 to 2008. Several companies submitted bids on the vehicles earlier this month.
Three companies also received contracts for medical surgical supplies at Rest Haven nursing home, Schuylkill Haven. Each company will supply specific items. The agreements were Manheim Medical, $19,924.18; JML Medical, $6,479.23; and McKesson Medical, $12,031.26.
The county prison is the latest department to purchase new radios for the updated communications system. The commissioners approved the agreement with Motorola Solutions Inc. for two low-bandwidth, two-way radios for $8,838, which will be paid over a 60-month period. Annual payments will be $1,767.60.
The commissioners also approved various multi-year service agreements for the Office of Senior Services and Children & Youth and Juvenile Justice departments.
The reigning royalty from last year's Schuylkill County Fair attended the meetings at the courthouse Wednesday. They led the board in the Pledge of Allegiance and talked about the upcoming fair.
"We encourage all girls to come out and participate in the pageant," Rachael Naradko, Port Carbon, the reigning Schuylkill County Fair queen, said.
Princess Haley Obrzut, Mahanoy City, encouraged everyone to visit the fair this year.
"It's just a lot of fun every year and, of course, the food is always great," she said.
Little Miss Rebecca Lascala, Seltzer, said she enjoyed being at the fair all week last year as a contestant.
The 31st Schuylkill county Fair will be held July 28 to Aug. 2 at the fairgrounds in Summit Station.