HOLLIDAYSBURG — The Blair County Salary Board is ending the practice of having department supervisors seek the board’s permission to fill vacant jobs, with some exceptions, hoping to make the hiring process move faster.

While former county leaders once tried that tactic — then changed back during a budget-tightening effort — the developing effort will be supported by a computerized job roster tracking county jobs and job openings.

County Finance Director Lindsay Dempsie and Payroll Administrator Kyle Brashear said Wednesday during the salary board meeting that they’ve been working for about six months to create the roster, which is referred to as “Position Control” within the county’s Munis accounting program.

As a result of that work, the roster is supposed to provide county leaders with easy access to current information about the jobs budgeted for each department, along with the amount of jobs that are filled and vacant.

Before the roster’s creation, access to that information had to be culled from salary board meeting minutes, county employees said.

Commissioner Dave Kessling, who chairs the salary board, said he was thrilled and grateful for the work put into developing the roster that is viewed as “more efficient.”

Commissioners Amy Webster and Laura Burke, who also sit on the salary board, added their praise of the accomplishment, with Webster referencing an ability to see similarities in jobs across the county departments.

Deputy Controller Angela Wagner, who participated in Wednesday’s salary board on behalf of Controller A.C. Stickel, joined Kessling, Webster and Burke in a unanimous vote to abolish the practice of having department heads come before the salary board for permission to fill a vacant position, as long as the job is on the roster and involves no related changes.

Department heads will need to approach the salary board if they want to add a new job, abolish a job, change the compensation of a job or increase the amount of employees who will hold a particular job. The board also agreed that changes in compensation, including temporary ones prompted by the assumption of additional duties, should still come before the salary board.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.