Study will help integrate shared services in county
Carbon County is completing a study that will help bring shared services to public safety answering points (PSAP) in the state. The PSAP in Carbon is the 911 Communications Center.
During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, the board voted to approve a proposal by Essential Management of Pottsville, for a PSAP regional shared services assessment for Northeastern Counties Regional ESInet (NECORE). The total cost of the assessment is $25,000, and will be paid through Act 56 funds and not the county.Commissioner Wayne Nothstein, chairman, explained the PSAP assessment is a study being done by all counties to see what equipment each county has; and what can be utilized through sharing services to reduce costs for PSAPs in the region.He noted that the reason for the assessment is a lot of the counties are applying for the same type of equipment so a plan to share services was implemented, making a stronger network, while saving money on upgrades to equipment that are necessary.In other matters, the board acted on the following items:• Award the contract for the Old Mauch Chunk Train Station masonry restoration project to low bidder Spotts Brothers Inc. of Schuylkill Haven at a cost of $17,760.• Appoint Mark Ebbert of Lehighton, fire chief of Mahoning Fire Company and representative of Rapid Response Inc., to the Local Emergency Planning Committee Group VI (firefighting personnel); with Matthew Belasco, Rapid Response Inc., as secondary.• Approve the HIPPA Privacy and Security policies, effective Jan. 1, 2013, as required by the county's participation in the health insurance consortium of the Pennsylvania County Health Insurance Purchasing Cooperative.• Appoint Dawn M. Bowman, the county human resources director, as the HIPPA Privacy and Security officer.• Approve the certification to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation of the policy and procedure for the consultant selection process associated with the naming of a construction inspection company for the replacement of Carbon County Bridge 16, located along Koch Road in Towamensing Township. The county will utilize the procedure recommended by PennDOT.• Approve three separate agreements for professional services as conflict counsel in criminal and juvenile matters pending before the Carbon County Court of Common Pleas.The agreements shall be with attorneys Robert S. Frycklund and Adam Weaver, both of Summit Hill; and the Law Office of Strubinger and Gazo, Palmerton; and will be effective Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, 2014, with two successive annual renewals.The amount of each agreement will be $25,000, plus reimbursement for photocopies, postage and required mileage outside of the county, with a total number of 40 cases/offenders/assignments during the term of the agreement.• Approve the Cooperative Purchasing Agreement allowing Carbon County to join the Cooperative Purchasing Network Program, a national governmental purchasing cooperative, and enabling the county to receive a 5 percent discount on Lowe's purchases. Membership into the cooperative is free and will remain in effect unless terminated by either party.The county also approved the following personnel actions:• Approve the employment separation of Richard N. Swartley, Jim Thorpe, as a corrections officer at the prison, effective Aug. 21.• Approve the resignations of Jennifer L. Diefenderfer, Lehighton, and Paul P. Kuropatsky, Delano, as part-time corrections officers at the prison. Diefenderfer's resignation is effective Aug. 3; while Kuropatsky's is Aug. 22.• Approve the change of status of Patricia A. Rossman, Summit Hill, from assistant purchasing manager trainee, Purchasing; to clerical specialist, Clerk of Courts, effective Aug. 21.• Approve the change of status of Linda A. Ballet, Lansford, from assistant director, Human Resources; to assistant purchasing manager trainee, Purchasing, effective Aug. 26.