Schuylkill County Clerk of Courts Maria Casey is speaking out about the way she said the county is handling informing people about positive test results of those with COVID-19.

Twice recently Schuylkill County Courthouse employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

County Administrator Gary Bender said Tuesday an employee in the tax assessment office tested positive previously. On Wednesday Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Tobin said a sheriff’s deputy has the virus. Tobin said two deputies were out Wednesday because of close contact with the deputy.

Four people were out Tuesday in the tax claim or tax assessment office because of close contact with the employee who has the virus. One was due to return Wednesday, Bender said previously.

He said the appropriate people were told about the positive case in the tax assessment office. He said a letter would go out to county employees.

He did not return calls for comment.

Casey said she received the letter Wednesday from human resources. However, she wrote in an email addressed to Commissioners Barron “Boots” Hetherington and George Halcovage Jr., copied to Bender and other county employees, that department heads several months ago were told they would be “immediately” notified of positive test results.

Casey said by phone Wednesday that Bender was the one who said at the two meetings earlier employees would be notified immediately. Casey said she learned of the positive case in the tax assessment office Monday after someone told her. The sheriff’s deputy has contact with courthouse visitors.

Casey wrote there was a public tax sale with “hundreds” of people attending Monday that involved the affected offices. Other comments involved Casey’s request of 24/7 cleaning staff to disinfect courthouse common areas and bathrooms. She said members of her staff say the bathrooms are “deplorable” and claims the rest of the courthouse is “filthy.”

“You refuse to do this despite getting over $12 million in COVID funding,” Casey said.

“Are employees here of so little value to you that you do not care about exposing them and their families to this fatal disease?”

She claimed the actions violate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines and “expose taxpayers to claims related to your continued concealment of COVID contamination in the courthouse. Serious illness and/or deaths are imminent based on your actions,” the letter reads.

The letter ends by asking for an immediate public meeting to address employee concerns.

Casey also sent an email to Doreen Kutzler, with Hubric Resources, the firm hired for interim human resources assistance after former director Deborah Twigg resigned.

Kutzler did not return calls for comment.

Casey said she has not received a reply regarding her concerns on either email.

Hess was unaware of the positive test result in the Sheriff’s office until told about it.

Halcovage did not return a text for comment.

Hetherington said she had not read her email, but said Casey is “an alarmist.”

“Everything that has happened so far has been done by the book,” he said of procedures followed.

Casey took issue with being called an alarmist.

“What is alarmist about a disease that has killed 200,000 people?” she said.

Solicitor responds

First Assistant County Solicitor Glenn Roth confirmed there was a tax claim upset sale Monday, which was held outside at The Barefield Outdoor Recreation Complex in Pottsville.

“There was a significant amount of bidding,” he said, adding no money was accepted at the sale.

Bidders received an invoice and were required to pay at the treasurer’s office. Schuylkill County Treasurer Linda Marchalk did not return a call for comment.

Those attending wore masks, he said, except for Roth because he was announcing the properties for sale. He would not identify specifically who from county government attended the sale. He said tax claim personnel attended.

“I don’t have any reason to believe that any members of the public were exposed to COVID-19 from tax claim bureau personnel as they are all required to wear masks and socially distance as best they could,” Roth said.

He said policy is when a positive case of COVID-19 is diagnosed in the courthouse, contact tracing is done. Roth said the county must protect the identity of the employee while doing tracing to notify others who were in contact.

Sheriff Joseph Groody and Angela Toomey, director of the tax claim bureau, did not return calls for comment.