A building that partially collapsed over the weekend in Girardville will be coming down.
The Schuylkill County commissioners approved to advertise for bids for the demolition of structures at 13 E. Main St., Girardville, and 86 Main Road, Eldred Township, during a work session Wednesday.
The building in Eldred Township is an old vacant home near the baseball field in Pitman and is owned by Mahantongo Fire Company, which is across the street.
The vacant, three-story building in Girardville is owned by Terrence and Claudette Hodge. On Monday, the front wall of the third floor collapsed inward and onto the sidewalk after weeks of threatening to fall on the sidewalk.
Since the owners were unable to be contacted, the borough has sought to obtain "powers of attorney" from the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas through a conservatorship statute that would allow the building's demolition. The conservatorship hearing is set for 2 p.m. today before Judge Cyrus P. Dolbin. If approved as expected, the demolition will be eligible for county grant funds.
Bids for the demolition projects are tentatively due back Feb. 4 and will be opened Feb. 6.
In other news, Schuylkill County will receive nearly $1 million from the state Department of Transportation in federal and state funding. The grant total is for $968,267 and consists of $525,368 for seven shared-ride replacement vehicles and two-way communications equipment; $100,000 for equipment needed for narrowbanding; $25,000 for engine repairs and/or replacement; and $323,000 for the tracking systems recently install on 14 fixed-route buses.
The local match for the grant was $36,787.
The board also accepted the resignation of Henry Oravitz, Frackville, from the Drug & Alcohol Advisory Board on Wednesday. Oravitz was appointed to a three-year term May 25 and requested that his resignation be effective as of Oct. 31.
The county general fund decreased about $3 million from last month, according to the monthly report from county Treasurer Jacqueline V. McGovern. As of Wednesday, the general fund was at $14,350,784.83, down from $17,015,467.50 on Dec. 12. However, the county's total balance increased from $46,651,527.51 in December to $50,554,659.39 on Wednesday.
The board also authorized the endorsement of several people for the executive and advisory board with the Schuylkill County Fire Chiefs Association. Those being endorsed by the county for executive board positions are: Frank Zangari, Girardville; Dave Sattizahn, Pine Grove; Jason Witmier, Pottsville; John Matz, Deer Lake/West Brunswick Township; Gary Witmier, Pottsville; and Scott Krater, Port Carbon. Those being endorsed by the county for advisory board positions are: Jack Messner, Pottsville; Art Connely Jr., Tamaqua; John Kellman Jr., Pottsville; and Glenn Sattizahn, Schuylkill Haven.
The commissioners' public meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the commissioners' board room.