Action was taken by the Schuylkill County Commissioners at Wednesday's work session held at the courthouse in Pottsville to consolidate two job positions into one and cut down on mailing expenditures. Commissioner chairperson, Mantura Gallagher, reported the savings was more than $50,000.

Two positions in the planning and zoning department were consolidated. They were director of planning and the position of Georgraphy Information Director (GIS) Susan Smith, Pottsville, who was the GIS, was appointed to the planning director post when Charles Ross retired.The two posts are now combined and the salary fixed was $47,057, which is current to salaries paid to first deputies in the 'row' offices in the courthouse.Changes were also approved in the mailing department. Paul Strata, county budget director, reported last year 7,200 certified letters were sent costing $5.80 each but now mailing is done through the electronic system and confirmations of mail sent out is received and the cost is reduced to approximately $25,000.Other businessPermission was granted to Sheriff Joseph Groody to update an alarm system installed in the sheriff's office at the courthouse at a cost of $11,595. The sheriff's department now will be able to respond immediately to any alarm sounded throughout the courthouse building. In the past the call first went to the 9-1-1 center.The Real Estate Department was permitted to seek bids for miscellaneous paving and pothole patching for University Drive which leads into the Schuylkill Campus of Penn State University in North Manheim Township. Bids must be in the controller's office by 3 p.m. on May 16.Election workers at the polling places on election day will get an increase in mileage pay for transporting ballot boxes from the pollling places to the election center at the STS bus garage in Saint Clair where an unofficial count of the votes cast in the Primary Election on May 17 is made that evening. Their mileage fee is increased from 45 cents to 51 cents per mile due to the increase in price of gasoline.