Tim Walker
AMR Reporter
At its December 19 meeting, Attorney Stephen Skinner informed the Pocahon- tas County Commission that the first round of opioid lawsuit settlement funds are being sent out and should be received by the county in days. While Skinner said he was unable to provide the exact amount due the county at this time, he did say the amount “is likely to be several hundred thousand dollars.” He said the payments will be spread out over time, which might be up to 12 years. Skinner said that there are “guardrails” for spending the money, generally that it be spent on opioid-crisis related expenses, such as to pay jail bills. He said he will forward a memorandum that will provide more information of those guardrails.
Marlinton Volunteer Fire Department Chief Herbie Barlow, a member of the county EMS Board, and a representative to Pocahontas County Deputy Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission, asked for the commission’s support for two proposals.
As most everyone is aware, Commissioner John Rebinski, in response to the dwindling number of volunteers, established a paid Pocahontas County Ambulance Service in the Northern part of the county, which is now operating and staffed with county employees.
Barlow, citing the same volunteer problems, proposed to establish a paid ambulance and fire service for the Southern and Central portions of the county. He said the Marlinton VFD will be operating this new service in conjunction with the Hillsboro VFD, and will provide all of the equipment, supplies, a station and the use of the Marlinton VFD’s license and DEA certificate for the new service at no cost to the county. He said they have acquired a building across from the ARC Building in Marlinton to serve as the station for this service which has both a garage to house the vehicles and an apartment for the crew to stay in.
He said the only expense to the county would be to pay the salaries of a driver, an EMT or Paramedic, and a firefighter. Barlow estimates that cost would be about $296,000 for a full year.
The commissioners seemed to be interested in this proposal, however Commission President Walt Helmick said they would need some time to work out details regarding the county-employee status of the staff for this service, so the commission put off making any decision on this until the January 2 meeting. Members of both Marlinton and Hillsboro VDFs attended the meeting to show support for this proposal.
Barlow’s next proposal was to request that the commission provide a $10,000 pay raise for every Pocahontas County Deputy Sheriff, as well as to increase the starting pay for new deputies by the same amount. He said the lack of qualified applicants and the inability to hold on to existing deputies makes this a necessary expense to stay competitive with other jurisdictions. Barlow said the last four deputies to leave the department all moved on to better paying law enforcement positions elsewhere and, as a result, the Sheriff’s Department is very short-handed. He also said they have had to lower the passing score on the Civil Service Test for deputies in an attempt to hire replacements, but that lowering of standards is not working out well either. Once again, the commission deferred any decision on this proposal to the next meeting. About six uniformed Deputy Sheriffs attended the meeting in support of this proposal.
The Commission received bids from three environmental engineering firms to do the engineering and consult on the asbestos removal from the three buildings at the old Howes Tannery property, as well as on the EPA’s Voluntary Groundwater Remediation Project there. The Brownfield Clean-Up Grant will pay for this, but it will require that all three buildings on the property be demolished, including the old Howes Office Building. The three bidders were: Thrasher Engineering, Ascent Consulting & Engineering, and Greenbrier Environmental Group out of Lewisburg. They selected the Greenbrier Environmental Group’s bid.
In other business, the commission
• awarded the 2024 gasoline contract to the only bidder, Woodford Oil, at rack-price plus 12 cents per gallon, which today would cost the county about $2.12 per gallon
• scheduled the 2024 Board of Review and Equalization hearing dates for February 1, 6, 12 and the 16, all at 10 a.m.; and the final one on February 20, at 5:45 p.m. during the regular commission meeting.
• wrote a letter of support for the Pocahontas County Historical Society Museum to receive a grant, and a letter of support for receiving federal funding for the EMS/911 Center building project.
• authorized the purchase of a furnace belt which they hope will fix the heating issues in the restrooms at the ARC building.
• acted on the following requests by Mike O’Brien, the Director of Emergency Management and 911:
– re-awarded the bid to purchase communications trailer for the 911 Center.
– approved the grant award for the Thomastown Tower construction.
– approved a grant award for the purchase of emergency call boxes capable of calling 911. These will be placed in areas without cell service.
– approved a grant award to purchase mobile message boards to be placed along county roads to inform the public about road conditions and emergencies, and can also be used to announce special events such as Pioneer Days.
– approved the hiring of Kevin Stitzinger to be the full-time Deputy EMS/911 Director, starting January 1.
