The Schuylkill County commissioners lauded the actions volunteer firefighters for their response to a fire in the village of Palo Alto on Tuesday.

Meeting for their first work session of 2024, each commissioner praised the work of the firefighters in battling the blaze that destroyed a home and left three people, including a firefighter, injured.

“The firefighters in Schuylkill County are 100% volunteer,” said Commissioner Gary Hess. “They are outstanding, true professionals who go beyond to save lives and property. If we had to pay for fire protection, we’d have to raise taxes. We are very fortunate to have these people who put a lot of time in so they could provide this needed service. I always said if you see a breakfast or a raffle they are running, support it. A testament to their dedication happened in Palo Alto yesterday.”

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said although two people in the home were injured escaping the flames, they did escape.

“The firefighters’ performance in Palo Alto is a testament to the emergency services,” Hetherington said.

New Commissioner Larry Padora said he saw firsthand in his own community when a fire recently struck New Ringgold.

“I have to give credit to all of the first responders - firefighters, as well as police and ambulance personnel - for the situation in Palo Alto yesterday morning,” Padora said. “It could have been a lot worse.”

Padora also said with the new year, “we will turn the page, and changes are coming.”

The commissioners have scheduled four night meeting - March 13, June 12, Sept. 11 and Dec. 11 - all at 6 p.m. at the courthouse.

New solicitors

The county has a new solicitor and assistant solicitor.

Paul Datte, the former assistant solicitor, was promoted to solicitor, to replace the retired Alvin Marshall.

Datte was replaced as assistant solicitor by Shelby Hostetter, an assistant county district attorney.

The county salary board then set their salaries as $45,762.66 and $41,038.79, respectively.

The commissioners also appointed Kevin Zavala of Minersville as a part-time corrections officer, and the Salary Board set his salary at $23.0730 per hour.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved the delegation of contract authority to County Administrator Gary Bender, and Paul Buber and Chris Kerns of the county Finance Office to approve all county contracts below the bid limit threshold for 2024 of $23,200 and the telephonic quote threshold of $12,600.

• Approved a $1,500 change order with Northeast Industrial Services for the demolition of a row home at 423 Willing Street in Tamaqua. The contract will increase from $63,327 to $64,827 due to chimney removal and reframing, rerouting the neighbor’s water main, and wall frame out for the neighboring attic crawl space.