Published: February 07, 2008 11:53 am      

Hardy commission outlines plans for statewide emergency services radios

MOOREFIELD - A new communications tower is going to be built at Charlie's Knob and the Hardy County Commission will assume ownership of the Helmick Rock tower as part of the statewide communications interoperability program, according to Commission President Roger Champ.

He said that new radios will be needed for the system and that Office of Emergency Services Director Paul Lewis is working on several issues related to the program, which is intended to allow all emergency services to communicate with one another statewide.

Champ reported on his attendance at a recent meeting of the county Local Emergency Planning Committee.

He said that in addition to the communications issues, the committee received an update on the Regional Response Unit, based in Hardy County, that will serve Hardy, Grant, Mineral and Hampshire in the event of a hazardous materials or other emergency requiring its use.

Champ said that Craig Strawderman has begun setting up the truck and once the unit is in operation and a budget is approved by the Legislature, training is slated to begin on operation of the truck.

He said that the county has received a $2,500 check from Hampshire County for its share of support for the program.

"We purchased the insulation and dry wall for the Hazmat Building second floor," he said of the facility housing the truck, which will be used for offices and training.

Champ said that the meeting included a report from Wardensville Police Chief Jeff Driskill that there would be a Westward Migration Drill in June that will include a walk-through followed by a drill in which the state will be on alert.

He said that Bill Ours of the health department discussed a meeting he had attended on avian flu. He said that Virginia is looking at a new way to dispose of infected carcasses.

Commissioner JR Kep-linger reported attending a recent meeting of the County Commissioners Association of West Virginia in Charleston in which a number of issues, including annexation, regional jail costs and taxes were discussed.

He said that the planning commission was slated to meet Tuesday evening to deal with a revision to the Ogden Farms development changing it to single-family dwellings.

In other business the commissioners:

* Received a letter from Commissioner of Agriculture Gus Douglass presenting a check for $10,000 to the Moorefield High School FFA program. The money is to be used for the school's meat processing program allowing the ham, bacon and egg program to meet revised federal standards.

* Received a letter from Gov. Joe Manchin indicating that the county would receive $10,000 for courthouse repairs through the efforts of Delegate Harold Michael.

Contact Mona Ridder at mridder@times-news.com.