The Greenbrier County Commission declared Hunger Action Month and approved documents on Quinwood broadband and White Sulphur Springs storm drainage projects during their Tuesday, Sept. 14, meeting.
The commission first considered hunger in the community with a proclamation.
“This is a proclamation that was requested by our food banks,” explained Commissioner Tammy Shifflett-Tincher. “It was requested that we acknowledge and recognize that September is Hunger Action Month. … I would like to thank all of our local food banks and all of our volunteers, who put a tremendous amount of time and energy into making sure that food is available to those who need it.”
As read by Tincher, the proclamation states:
Hunger and poverty are issues of vital concern in West Virginia, where over 14 percent of people struggle with hunger and one in every five children do not know where their next meal will come from;
Whereas, the state of West Virginia is committed to taking steps to combat hunger in every part of our community and provide additional resources that those in West Virginia need;
Whereas the state of West Virginia is committed to Mountaineer Food Bank, a member of the nationwide food banks, about the role and importance of food banks in addressing hunger and addressing awareness of the need for more resources and attention to hunger issues,
Whereas more than 250,000 individual in West Virginia rely on food provided by the members of the Mountaineer Food Bank and Facing Hunger Food Bank annually,
Whereas the coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating health and economic impacts across the country and is projected that 71,686 more people could face more hunger in West Virginia in the wake of the pandemic this year,
Whereas the members of the Mountaineer Food Bank distributed more than 29 million pounds of food to 48 counties in 2020 through this network of food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community organizations,
Whereas the month of September has been designated Hunger Action Month in order to bring attention to food insecurity in our communities and to engage the public in action, including volunteer-ship, social media shares, donations, and helping one [person] at a time,
Whereas across the country, as well as members of Mountaineer Food Bank and Facing Hunger food bank will have numerous ways to take action throughout the month of September to bring awareness and help with hunger in our community,
Therefore we, the Greenbrier County Commission, do hereby recognize the month of September, 2021, as Hunger Action Month and we call this to the attention of our citizens.
The proclamation was unanimously approved by all three commissioners.
In other business:
— The commission approved the Broadband Implementation Meeting Documents for the fiscal year 2020 Community Development Block Grant. These documents are part of the commission’s ongoing Quinwood broadband project, with Tincher explaining they were for “the second half of the project funding … in order to get it completed. It was done in two phases and they’re completing the first phase right now. The second phase has been awarded and that’s what these approvals are [for], to be able to accept those funds and be able to continue work on the project.”
— The ongoing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) projects are continuing with the approval of another resolution. Commission President Lowell Rose explained “this is one of the TIF projects we approved previously, basically a storm drainage project in White Sulphur Springs. I would move that we sign the resolution for the White Sulphur Springs Church Street project … total invoice amount $210,284.08.”
— A new hire was approved for the Greenbrier County 911 Center after a request from Director Mike Honaker.
— The opening of bids for the FEMA repairs of the Meadow River Trail was delayed to the next County Commission meeting.
— No new action was needed for the ongoing courthouse improvement project.
— Those looking to watch the commission meetings can find streams on the Greenbrier County Courthouse Facebook page.
The Greenbrier County Commission |
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.