During the Tuesday morning Greenbrier County Commission meeting, Greenbrier County Sheriff Bruce Sloan announced the promotion of Project Lifesaver, headed by Deputy Sheriff Baker.

Project Lifesaver is a search and rescue system to locate persons with impaired facilities who have gone missing. A transmitter is attached to the person and a receiver can track them down, often within minutes, Sloan said, saving a person with autism, or Alzheimer’s, or any number of other conditions involving confusion and dislocation. Nation-wide, 3,500 people have been recovered with the aid of Project Lifesaver, a 501(3)C organization. Sloan said ,the monthly cost for a transmitter is $10, plus the cost of batteries. Six Sheriff’s Department members will receive training on the project, including 911 Center Deputy Director Paula Brown.

“We won’t turn anyone away who request a transmitter,” Sloan said. Even though the expense of Project Lifesaver is not included in the Sheriff’s Office line item budget, the department will provide transmitters to anyone who cannot cover the monthly expenses. Sloan urged interested parties to call Sgt Baker or drop by the sheriffs office at either the county courthouse in Lewisburg or the sheriff’s station in Rupert. “This service will give added peace of mind to caregivers around the county,” Sloan said.

In other business:

– Mike Kidd, president of the Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Board of Directors, presented the first payment of a $450,000 loan, made last year by the commission to the visitors bureau to promote tourism marketing following the floods of 2016. The no interest loan required four annual payments of $90,000, due on the first day of the year.

Kidd said the bureau anticipated that tourism after the flood would be off by as much as 40 percent, but, it turned out the numbers for Greenbrier County tourism proved to be only off by 17 percent. Kidd asked the commission to consider forgiving the rest of the $360,000, stating that the annual debt of $90,000 goes directly to marketing and not to internal visitors bureau expenses. But if the commission did not agree, Kidd said, the bureau will continue the annual payments.

Already travel ads are appearing on TV and online for trips to Jamaica and other destinations, Kidd said. “With the additional marketing funds, we could do more to promote the Greenbrier Valley.” The convention and visitors center has lost funding through the state due to budget cuts, and Kidd noted, a bed tax decline could affect the commission’s project, referring to the sports facility, which is also dependent on bed tax funds.

“Now that the floods are behind us,” said County Commission President Woody Hanna, “are there any lasting affects you see that could further affect the tourism market?” Kidd said the flood recovery efforts have been impressive, including the repairs to the Greenbrier River Trail and the return of The Greenbrier Classic, although the golf courses weren’t quite recovered until mid-season. On the plus side, Kidd said Visitors Bureau Executive Director Kara Dense will be meeting with The Greenbrier resort to start a marketing push for air travel advertising with the Valley’s new air carrier United/SkyWest. “This will be a game changer for Greenbrier County’s tourism industry,” Kidd said.

– Gene Wisman was reappointed to the PSD#2 board.

– Homeland Security and 911 Executive Director Al Whitaker presented a single bid tendered from Pro Pack of Charleston, SC, for $45,857.80, to provide the county with emergency pet sheltering equipment, a requirement by the federal pets act for counties to have an emergency plan in place for pets of all kinds, from turtles to snakes to llamas and alpacas. The bid was approved by the commission pending a review by Whitaker to be sure it included all requested elements. He said the equipment has multi-purpose uses for the county and includes tents, heaters, misting fans and lighting. Whitaker submitted a $50,000 grant requesting the pet sheltering equipment earlier this year.

– Commission member Lowell Rose said a vacancy on the county board of health will be filled by Suzanne Kettie.

– Due to a meeting date conflict, the next Greenbrier County Commission meeting will be held on Friday, Dec. 29, at 7 p.m.

– Commission President Woody Hanna said, as the new year approaches, he has decided, with the approval of his family, to seek re-election to the county commission.