Tim Walker
AMR Reporter
At the November 21 Pocahontas County Commission meeting, the commission approved the hiring of Kiara Davis as a part-time EMT for the Pocahontas County Ambulance Authority. Commissioner John Rebinski said Davis is likely to be the last employee needed for the new county-run ambulance service. Although a number of the previously hired part-time employees have, for one reason or another, left, Rebinski anticipates that the remaining work force will be stable. With the hiring of Davis, the ambulance is now sufficiently staffed to begin operating seven days a week in the northern part of the county.
The commission approved a resolution reaffirming the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation (GVE DC) as the county’s lead economic development agency, and approved the state assessment of $1.25 per county resident to pay for the GVEDC’s services.
They also approved a proclamation which was requested by Nancy Dotson of West Virginia Caring Hospice Care, which affirms the commission’s support for November being designated as National Hospice Month.
The commission approved the hiring of Stephanie Bennett as the full-time Administrative Assistant for the Pocahontas County Day Report, to start November 27.
In other business, the commission
• approved a revision of the previously approved draw-down request #7 from the Pocahontas County ARC Broadband Project. Amanda Smarr of Region 4 explained that the amount of money was not changed, only some wording and clerical errors in the original draw-down request were revised.
• appointed Jeff Barlow to the remainder of a three-year term on the county EMS Authority.
• acknowledged receipt of information that the County Bar Association has appointed one of its members to the Pocahontas County Deputy Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission.
• created a state-mandated Salary Enhancement Fund and a checking account for that fund in the amount of $143,763 of state money to be divided among EMS employees based on the number of calls for service they respond to yearly.
• acknowledged the receipt of the resignation of Donald McNeel as County Flood Plain Manager which will be effective in January of 2024.
• announced that the courthouse Christmas luncheon will be held at noon Friday, December 8.
