The latest meeting of the Braxton County Commission, held last Friday, August 16, was a busy one.
The meeting began with Maria Lockard, director of Braxton County Testing Services, providing the Commission with her agency’s monthly activity report for the month of July. That information revealed that the center had conducted a total of 119 drug screenings for the period.
Dale Hall, Interim OES/9-1-1 Director requested the Commission hire Lynndyn Jordan as a part-time on-call dispatcher in the communications center. She will be paid $10.50 per hour while training and have to undergo a background check and pre-employment drug screening. She will begin on September 3.
Hall also asked that Arnold Bender be employed as a janitor and maintenance person at the 9-1-1 Building effective September 3. He will be paid $13.00 per hour with no county benefits for approximately 20 hours of work per week. He too will undergo a background check and drug screening. Both will serve 90 probationary periods as dictated by county employment policy. The pair were both approved on separation motions.
The Director provided the Commission with an activity report for his agencies for the month of July. Those statistics revealed an increase in calls received at the 9-1-1 Center totaling 3012 for the period.
Megan Stout and Floyd Cunningham again appeared before the Commission to discuss equipping the Animal Shelter vehicle with emergency lights. They stated that their research indicated that the light would provide increased visibility and safety when responding to calls on the interstate and other highways. Stout told the Commission that their research indicates that either green and white lights or yellow lights can be used. They requested green and white and gave the Commission pricing for the equipment of approximately $165.00. The request was approved on a motion by Larry Clifton.
Debbie Friend addressed the Commission via telephone to discuss purchases through the Health Grant for Holly Gray Park that the County was administering. Friend provided quotes for six, 6’ benches made from recycled plastic. The low bid was provided by The Park and Facilities Store at $3,750. The low bidder for the aluminum fishing dock for the pond nearest to the dining hall was $7,900 from Mod-U-Dock. Both low bids were approved.
Ron Facemire, Chairman of the Holly Gray Park Board was in attendance to thank the Commission for the $250,000 recently allocated the recreational facility and gave Commissioners an update on the progress of the improvements.
In other action, short form settlements for the following were approved as submitted by the Fiduciary Supervisor: Bobby D. Carr, Arawanna Cooper, Betty Jo Miller, James Henry Nicholson, Floda Virginia Rexroad, Marguerite Stewart and Stephen Ray Zackoski.
Larry Clifton made a motion to approved applications for correction of erroneous assessments as submitted by the Assessor for the following: Timothy Marks II, Ricky Drake etal., Brian & Peggy White, Geary White, Harold & Andrea Turnes, Sandra & Steven Claypoole, Lindsey Williams, and George D. Clemens.
Two applications for consolidation of contiguous tracts of land for tax purposes came before the Commission, they were from Connie S. Messenger and Dennis H. &/or David W. Miller.
Four purchase orders were approved via separate motions. They included: $2,035.67 to All American Uniforms for uniform items for the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Division; Install and configure video surveillance equipment at the 9-1-1 Center by Advance Alarm Technologies costing $1,406.50; Disc gold equipment for Holly Gray Park from the DiscStore at a cost of $3,715.91; Stryker Equipment $19,338.64 for LP-15 AC power cords, battery charges and batteries for EMS.
The Commission reviewed and approved a request from Barbara Vice to set a hearing regarding the removal of the executor of the estate of Edith Sharon West. That hearing will be held on October 4 at 10:00 a.m.
Following a brief discussion, the Commission approved the appointment of George Skidmore to the Holly Gray Park Board.
Lisa Godwin outlined the circumstances surrounding the lengthy delays in receiving the second ambulance from Global Emergency Vehicles Inc. Following the discussion, Larry Clifton made a motion to request the return of the deposit on the unit and move forward with finding a new vendor.
Separate motions approved the County and EMS invoices for payment as well as the minutes of the Commission’s August 2 meeting as submitted by County Clerk Sue Rutherford.
Being no further business on the agenda, Larry Clifton made a motion to go into executive session at the request of Dale Hall to discuss personnel matters. The behind closed doors session began at 9:36 a.m. and ended at 10:13 a.m. The Commission set a work session for August 23 to discuss manpower issues at the 9-1-1 center. That meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. The next regular meeting of the Braxton County Commission will convene on September 6 at 9:00 a.m.
