LEWISBURG — County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously appointed four local police officers to represent Union County on their Child Death Review team, a program that requires all Pennsylvania counties to put together a team to investigate the cause of death of all children, 21 and under.

“These appointments are a response to Pennsylvania Act 87 of 2008,” explained Chief Clerk Diana L. Robinson. “Our team will include law officers, physicians, the district attorney and a coroner.”

Besides investigatory powers, the team will also be asked to make recommendations to the Department of Heath to promote the safety and well-being of children and reduce child fatalities.

Named to the Union County CDR team were Corporal Richard Bramhall, of the Pennsylvania State Police, Milton station, Mark Bailey, Mifflinburg Police, Darryl Fisher, East Buffalo Township Police and Mark Kuhns, Lewisburg Police.

Earlier in the meeting commissioners accepted two grants from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency: $6,290 for electronic monitoring and $31,243 for operating costs, training and a salary for the 2009-2010 Criminal Justice Advisory Board coordinator position.

At a Salary Board meeting, held after the regular commissioner’s meeting, positions were approved: a part time custodian, working at a rate of $9.75 an hour and a part-time, not-more-than 32-hours per week legal secretary for the office of Public Defender.

Although a hiring freeze is still in effect for county jobs, these positions were approved because of anticipated medical issues and an imminent retirement.

“We need to have someone in place, trained, to replace these two individuals, when they take their leave,” Robinson said.