The Greenbrier County Commission met on Sept. 13 at the county courthouse with speakers from the city of White Sulfur Springs present.
After the regular financial matters and estate closures, the commission addressed the following topics: new deputy sheriff hire, new home confinement officer hire, contract renewal for security company at the courthouse, a new tax increment financing (TIF) allocation for White Sulphur Springs District 1, and a new hire for the planning department’s building inspector vacancy.
The sheriff deputy hired for the vacant deputy position is Shane Peacock, previously with Pocahontas County and recently graduated from the West Virginia Police Academy.
The new home confinement officer is Beatrice Feury. The planning department was approved to hire Dave McCracken as an inspector.
The security company contract with Mason and Barry was reviewed, and the previous contract was available for consideration, of which the commission agreed would be acceptable with a few additions because of the larger facility addition onto the courthouse. Response from the contractor to this offer has not been received.
The mayor of White Sulphur Springs, Bruce Bowling, who opened the meeting with the pledge of allegiance, addressed the commission about the upcoming project of a pedestrian bridge across Howards Creek into downtown White Sulphur Springs.
There are excess monies in the TIF grant, following the completion of many projects, and it was these monies that the city requested.
“Initially the project was proposed in 2009 with a 20% contribution for a department of highways grant, and construction costs amounted to around $400,000,” said Bowling. “Now we want to complete this project and the cost has more than doubled.”
He also stated that the initial 20% monies have been held by the state for this period of time.
The increase requested, to meet the new 20% amount, was $180,350.
The commission approved the request.
