In the first meeting of the new year, the Greenbrier County Commission reelected Karen Lobban as President of the Commission and affirmed the year’s meeting days and times and Courthouse hours. Additionally, they scheduled review dates for the Board of Equalization for taxpayers to come down to the Courthouse to discuss and review any tax concerns they may have. The review dates and times are as follows: Friday, Jan. 31 at 6 p.m.; Monday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m.; Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m.; Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m.; and Monday, Feb. 17 at 4 p.m.
In other business:
• Spokesperson for the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Denise Getson announced an opportunity for local nonprofit organizations to help meet their critical needs by partnering with O-school students. “O-school students gave 15,000 service hours last year as a vital part of their educational process to become community-centered medical practitioners,” Getson said.
With Getson were three honor society members of Sigma Sigma Phi fraternity at WVSOM who have participated in several community service programs, such as highway cleanups, canned food drives, home repairs and cleaning, and collecting for the United Way as ways to connect with and help out nonprofits in the local community.
“Community service,” Getson says, “is a core value of the school.”
The group asked the Commission to help get the word out in urging nonprofit organizations to take advantage of this opportunity to partner with a student group. They are willing to do anything, Getson said. To contact the school for more information, call Rebecca Morrow, director of student affairs, at 304-645-6270.
• Arts and Recreation Director Roy Grimes announced that the 2014-15 grant applications will be available to pick up at the Courthouse by Monday, Feb. 3, as well as online at the Greenbrier County’s website (greenbriercounty.net). The Arts and Rec Committee will meet on Jan. 27 to go over the grant process to establish the requirements and parameters for nonprofit organizations when applying. The final date to have the applications back to the Committee is Friday, Mar. 7, closing at 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Roy at 304-647-6689.
• Commissioner Lobban reported on the slow progress of an engineering study for a water development project in the Dawson area. Water hydrants, she said, are few and far between in that part of the county, leaving the area vulnerable when fires occur. Community volunteer fire departments help out when needed. Lobban wanted to shed light on that on-going process.
• The commission informed the public that the 9-1-1 Advisory Board met and voted unanimously to withdraw their request to increase by $1 the fee on county landline phones as a way to help the 9-1-1 Center maintain their annual budget.