The Schuylkill County commissioners approved the county Election Bureau's request to return the polls to the East Union Township Building at 10 E. Elm St., Sheppton, for the Nov. 6 General Election during a work session Wednesday.
The site was formerly at the Sheppton/Oneida Volunteer Fire Company at 900 Center St.
Also at the request of the bureau, the board approved the hiring of three resolution board members for election night at the Schuylkill County Transportation Building in Saint Clair. Edward Barket, Pottsville, and George D. Moyer, Norwegian Towsnship, were hired with $100 compensation. County Administrator Mark Scarbinsky was also hired at no compensation.
The board opened three bids for the storm and sewer pipe replacement project on Newtown Road in West Mahanoy Township.
Companies and their bids were: Schuylkill Paving Inc., Schuylkill Haven, $43,525; Arthur "Pat" Aungst, Pine Grove, $35,917; and Sikora Brothers Paving Inc., Shickshinny, $33,910. Each had a 10 percent surety in the form of a bid bond.
The contract will be awarded during the commissioners' public meeting next week.
The commissioners also opened bids for the Schuylkill Transportation System surplus sale. Included in the surplus sale were 16 buses with passenger capacities ranging from 10 to 29, a 1999 Ford Expedition, a 1998 GMC pickup, a 1995 international tow trailer and three school buses. Six of the STS buses and two school buses were not running, according to the sale list.
The county received 14 different bids, each containing various amounts on different vehicles.
The board will award bids during next week's public meeting.
Rest Haven will have an appointment and a termination going into effect Oct. 29. Dean Troutman, Ashland, was appointed as part-time graduate practical nurse at a hourly rate of $15.06. Ciara Hosler, Pottsville, was terminated as a part-time nurse's aide with an hourly rate at $11.95.
Ashley Graver, Minersville, was also appointed to auditor/accountant in the county controller's office at a salary of $51,420. The appointment will be effective Nov. 19.
The board also issued three proclamations Wednesday.
The commissioners declared Oct. 21 to be Down Syndrome Buddy Walk Day. Faith & Friends, formerly the Schuylkill County Buddy Walk Committee, and the Northern Schuylkill Jaycees co-sponsor the annual Buddy Walk as a way to raise awareness and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.
Down syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality affecting more than 350,000 people in the United States. The Buddy Walk helps raise funds for Down syndrome programs, education, support, advocacy and awareness.
The board also declared the week of Oct. 22 through Oct. 31 as Red Ribbon Week, encouraging Schuylkill County residents to participate in drug prevention education and to wear or display red ribbons to show their support for drug-free communities.
That week will also be Schuylkill County Cancer Awareness Week. In an effort to raise cancer awareness, attorney Sudhir Patel, president of the Schuylkill County Bar Association, donated pink and blue bracelets that read "Schuylkill County Cares About Cancer." He said he wants county employees to wear them with the goal of reminding people to make an appointment with their doctor and get checked for the disease.
The commissioners' public meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday will take place at the Pine Grove Borough Hall, 1 Snyder Avenue, Pine Grove.