BY STACI WILSON

The county commissioners conceded at the Wednesday, Sept. 24 meeting that recent moves of union positions to non-union have made some waves in the courthouse.

Commissioner Alan Hall said that all the positions that have gone to non-union are “supervisory” in nature. Recently, the first deputy positions in the prothonotary, treasurer, and recorder’s offices have been reclassified as salaried, non-union positions. Hall said that a person working in a supervisory capacity can’t be a union employee.

“The union is always concerned when you move to non-union. They’re afraid they’ll lose bargaining unit members,” Hall said.

A number of personnel matters were handled in the meeting, mostly filling corrections officer positions at the county jail.

Cody Scepaniak, Brandy Astacio, Nicole Holofchak and Christina Stouffer were hired as part-time corrections officers; Jordan Smith changed from part-time to full-time; and Melissa Reed transferred from a corrections officer position to a sergeant position at the jail.

The resignations of Michael LoSapio from a corrections officer position; and James DeMann from a sergeant’s position were accepted by the commissioners.

The resignation of Children & Youth Case Aide William Conklin was also accepted; and the Sept. 15 termination of Justine Ord from Domestic Relations was ratified.

In other business, the commissioners approved the purchase of a snow plow to be installed on the county truck at a cost of $4,175 from Snake Creek Marine.

The commissioners also approved the purchase of an 18,000 gallon liquid propane tank, mounted to a steel skid structure for the county jail at a cost of $77,865 from Hiltz Propane Systems of Lancaster. Delivery of the tank and site work will cost $15,000. Hiltz will buy back the tank from the county at full price.

The delivery in October of about 14,400 gallons of propane was approved at $1.45 per gallon; and a second delivery for another 14,400 in March was approved at $1.60 per gallon. Fuel will be delivered by Hiltz in the large tank, Hall said.

The installation of a pad for the tank – including the excavating and backfilling a trench from the pad to the jail – was also approved at a cost of $14,000-$18,000. The work will be completed by Ken Rauch Excavating.

The propane tank is being installed as a temporary heating system at the jail, Hall explained. The jail is expected to be converted to natural gas heat in the next one-two years.