Carbon County will soon have a new warden.

During the monthly meeting of the Carbon County Prison Board this afternoon, the board voted 5-0 to move acting Warden Timothy Fritz into the warden position, effective March 23. Commissioner Wayne Nothstein was absent from the meeting.

Fritz has been serving as the acting warden since the board terminated former Warden Joseph Gross on Nov. 6, 2014.

The recommendation now goes before the Carbon County Commissioners for final approval, as well as the county salary board, who will set Fritz's annual salary. Both are expected to meet tomorrow.

Fritz has served Carbon County since Dec. 14, 1994, when he began as a corrections officer at the prison. Over the years he has worked in the capacity of sergeant, deputy warden and acting warden twice.

"It feels good," he said after the meeting. "It always feels good when you excel in your position. It's going to be a challenge. Corrections is a field where you come in and every day is going to be different."

He thanked the board for having the confidence in his ability to lead the prison as it moves forward.