The Schuylkill County Commissioners voted last week to hire a deputy chief assessor at $51,835.

Commissioner Gary Hess voted no on the salary, but yes on hiring Christine Zimmerman, who had been a field appraiser.

“It’s a personnel issue,” he said, declining to say more except mentioning the disparity in pay between Zimmerman and Denise McGinley-Gerchak, who was the deputy chief assessor making $39,727.18.

An employee in the human resources office said McGinley-Gerchak is now assistant director of tax claim. Her role changed May 24. She had been deputy chief assessor from March 18 to May 23. Prior to that, she was assistant director tax assessment/claim office and making $47,057.

Commissioners previously voted in March to restructure the tax assessment and tax claim offices. Angela Toomey, who was the chief assessor in the assessment office and tax claim director, is now the tax claim director.

Heidi Zula, human resources director, said the pay range for the deputy assessor was $30,000 to $58,300. Zula said Zimmerman has “significantly more experience” and thus warrants the higher pay. She has 30 years experience with the county, of which 28 are in the tax assessment office, Zula said.

When McGinley-Gerchak was deputy chief assessor she had 12 years of experience with the county and no years of tax assessment experience. Of those 12 years, 10½ were in tax claim, Zula said.