By Peggy Mackenzie
The Lewisburg City Council met on Tuesday, Feb. 25, following a bomb threat reported on Tuesday, Feb. 18, which resulted in the closure of both City Hall and the Greenbrier County Courthouse. City Manager Jacy Faulkner lauded both the Lewisburg Police Department and the Public Works for their quick and efficient response to the threat. Police Chief Chris Teubert stated that the perpetrator, Michael J. Neely, was arrested in Cleveland, OH with two felony counts. He said Neely had made threats not only to officials in other places but also had contacted the White House. Teubert said Neely has ties to this community but has never lived here long term. He is currently fighting extradition to West Virginia.
In other business:
- Greenbrier County Library board member Danny Boone presented the library’s annual reports. He cited several services the library offers, including the availability of 12 computers, the 38,500 book collections and 6,000 e-books, and the youth programs which encourage children K-5 to sign up for library cards. The library is open seven days a week and is now the source for issuing passports, a service once provided at the county courthouse. Funding for the county library comes from the Greenbrier County Commission’s Arts and Recreation account amounting to $20,000. “We do all we do and still manage to stay within our budget,” Boone said. Over the past 12 months, 64,000 people walked into the library, “the most visited place in Greenbrier County except the State Fair of West Virginia.”
- Former Lewisburg Police Chief Tim Stover, who is running for office, said, “Public service is an honorable thing to do. I believe I am a good fit for Magistrate Division I.” He gave a brief description of his accomplishments and experience.
- Mayor Beverly White recommended council appoint John Carroll to replace Joshua Edwards on the Fire Service Appeals Board and John Dietz to the Audit Committee. Both appointments were approved.
- In a report from the finance Committee, Council member Mark Etten moved to approve the grant for $2,500 from the Video Lottery fund to the GEHS Project Graduation 2020.
- Council member Aaron Seams stated the Public Safety Committee recommended the City Council approve three standard operations guidelines (SOGs): Use of Force; Less Lethal Impact Munitions/Bean Bag Shotgun; and Child Abuse. These are only three of a number of SOGs to be reviewed by the police department for recommendation through the Public Safety Committee, Seams said.
