With several personnel moves over the last month, Carbon County officials remain committed to their decision not to hire new full-time employees in 2025 in the hope of saving money.

The county commissioners and salary board, which the commissioners also sit on, made several position changes in some departments as a result of retirements, promotions and employees leaving for other employment.

Commissioners’ Chairman Mike Sofranko pointed out following the moves that while it may look like the county is establishing new positions, that was not the case.

“It should be noted that a lot of those changes (in the recent salary board meeting) were, as we moved people around to different positions and trainees. Along there, there were no establishments, new positions that weren’t currently on the board,” Sofranko said. “It was just people had moved up so you have to establish. But with keeping with what we had said at the end of last year, we will be establishing no new full-time positions.”

Moves came in the district judge’s office in Lansford, fiscal/data processing, sheriff’s office, archives, Children and Youth, Communications Center, elections and Workforce Investment Opportunity Act departments.

They included:

• District judge Lansford: Establish the positions of one office supervisor trainee at $25.31 per hour and one secretary II trainee at $16.45 per hour, both effective Feb. 10, while also changing the rate of one secretary I from $15.29 per hour to $14.91 per hour, effective Feb. 10.

These actions are a result of Donna L. Peck of Lansford, who served as the office supervisor I, retiring effective April 14. Carla J. Bartelt of Nesquehoning will move up from the secretary II position to office supervisor trainee, while Cassandra L. Branchide of Lansford moves from secretary I to secretary II trainee.

• Fiscal/data processing: Change the rate of one fiscal/data processing supervisor from $39.26 per hour to $27.79 per hour, effective Feb. 10; and abolish the position of a fiscal/data processing supervisor trainee at $27.79 per hour.

Rhonda L. Spadell of Palmerton now serves as the supervisor.

• Sheriff: Change the rate of a rate of one part-time security officer from $15.29 per hour to $14.91 per hour, effective Jan. 1, 2025.

• Archives: Establish the position of an archivist/records trainee at $19.77 per hour, effective Feb. 10.

This is a result of the retirement of Nancy J. Davidovich of Weatherly, the current director, effective March 7.

• Children and Youth: Establish the position of one social services aide I at $14.20 per hour; change the rate of one social services aide I from $14.56 per hour to $14.20 per hour; and abolish the position of one social services aide II at $14.91 per hour, all effective Feb. 10.

• Communications Center: Change the rate of a 911 assistant manager/addressing coordinator from $28.53 per hour to $26.50 per hour; abolish the position of one 911 assistant manager trainee at $26.50 per hour; and establish the position of one senior dispatcher at the AFSCME Union prevailing rate, all effective Feb. 10.

Joshua J. Jacobs of Nesquehoning steps in as the assistant manager trainee, while Zachary A. Kindt of Tamaqua moves to the senior dispatcher position.

• Elections: Change the rate of two seasonal election clerks from $13.53 per hour to $14.21 per hour; establish the position of one seasonal election clerk at $14.21 per hour; and abolish the position of one part-time election clerk at $13.53 per hour, all effective Feb. 10.

• WIOA: Change the rates of one administrator from $23.43 per hour to $22.30 per hour; and one caseworker from $20.49 per hour to $19.99 per hour, both effective Feb. 10.

Carbon County made the announcement in December that it would put a hiring freeze on full-time employees, clarifying that if someone resigned, the department head and commissioners would evaluate the position to determine if that position needed to be filled or if it could be eliminated.

Other personnel actions

In addition to the above salary board and personnel moves, the following items were approved or acknowledged by the county commissioners.

• Resignations: Steve. E Carter of Palmerton, corrections officer, effective Jan. 31; Anthony L. Martins Zinskie of Weatherly, corrections officer, effective Jan. 27; Noah J. Melber of Jim Thorpe, part-time seasonal park maintenance, effective Jan. 27; Jesse Sellers of Nesquehoning, corrections officer, effective Jan. 29; Melissa F. Shellock of Weatherly, cleaning person, effective Feb. 19; Megan V. Steber of Jim Thorpe, secretary I, district judge in Weatherly, effective Feb. 7; Sakia Aragones of Lansford, Children and Youth social services aide II, effective Jan. 17; Ryan R. Long of Lehighton, records supervisor at the prison, effective Jan. 10; Kimberly Mercer of Nesquehoning, Children and Youth social services aide I, effective Jan. 16; Tucker S. Mertz of Lehighton, corrections officer, effective Jan. 12; and Kristel H. Pinckney of Nesquehoning, caseworker for WIOA, effective Feb. 2.

• Hires: Chloe M. Copertino of Milford, county caseworker I, Children and Youth, effective Jan. 27; Larry Lisella of Jim Thorpe, seasonal park maintenance, effective Jan. 27; and Marissa L. Walck of Bowmanstown, clerk, Tax Claim, effective Jan. 28.

• Appointment: Tracey G. Oddy of Jim Thorpe, corrections officer, effective Feb. 10; and Madissen W. Brady Rittenberg of Jim Thorpe, administrative assistant, court administration, effective Feb. 10.

• District attorney appointments: Roberta M. Bales of Lansford, part-time legal secretary, and Samantha J. Whitehead of Lansford, clerical specialist/discovery coordinator, both effective Feb. 10.

• District attorney employment separation: Candice M. Chamides of Jim Thorpe, part-time legal secretary, effective Jan. 13.

• Sheriff appointment: Alexis M. Crespin of Lehighton, deputy sheriff, effective Feb. 10; Tucker S. Mertz of Lehighton, deputy sheriff, effective Jan. 27; and Jill M. Williams of Jim Thorpe, part-time security officer, effective Jan. 27.

• Sheriff employment separation: Richard A. Stancl Jr. of Lansford, deputy sheriff, effective Jan. 6.