BY STACI WILSON

Personnel matters dominated the salary board county commissioners’ agenda as the boards convened for the first time since the Jan. 4 organizational meeting.

The salary board set the salary for the county solicitor at $37,500 with benefits. Former commissioner Michael Giangrieco took over the solicitor position on Jan. 4.

The salary board also created a full-time first deputy district attorney position, at a salaried $60,000, effective Jan. 13. The board eliminated the part-time assistant district attorney position.

In a housekeeping matter, the salary board cleaned up wording of a motion passed in December, which made it appear the Deputy Coroner’s pay was a salary and not hourly. The updated motion clarified the wording.

The resignation of voter registrar James Ditchey was accepted, with regret, effective Jan. 5. He was replaced by Diane Quattrochi who has been working in the office as the Assistant Director of Elections/Voter Registrar.

SarahRae Sisson was hired as the assistant in the voter registration office.

Ryan Tator was hired as the county’s Systems Manager/Database Analyst, effective Jan. 5.

Brian James was hired as the Human Resources Administrative Clerk, effective Jan. 18.

The transfer of Sean Hennessey from Deputy Coroner to Chief Deputy Coroner was acknowledged. Richard Hennessey transferred from the Chief Deputy to Deputy Coroner.

The commissioners appointed members to the Susquehanna County Emergency Preparedness Task Force for 2016-17. In addition to county leaders and public safety personnel, the task force is also comprised of representatives from health care, fire companies, state police, the US Army National Guard, the oil and gas industry, and area school districts.

Some of the names presented for appointment to the task force are no longer employed by the school districts. The list will be reviewed and amended as necessary.

Members of the Local Emergency Management Committee were also named by the commissioners.

The county signed the 2015 PHARE Grant Agreement with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency in the amount of $1.605 million. PHARE grant funds are used for affordable housing projects in the county administered by both the Housing Authority and Trehab.

The county retirement board also convened on Wednesday. The rate of regular interest for 2016 was set at four percent to be credited to member contribution accounts in the county employee retirement plan.