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Commission hears funding requests

The Randolph County Commission heard several requests for funding from local organizations ahead of the 2013-2014 budgeting season at its regular meeting this week.

Karen Carper, the liaison for the Elkins ON TRAC program, asked the commission for $15,000 – close to double the amount of money ON TRAC received for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. ON TRAC’s mission is to spur downtown revitalization and community development efforts with a goal of getting the city of Elkins designated a National Main Street through the National Trust Main Street Center, an arm of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

In order for Elkins ON TRAC to attain that status, it must hire a full-time employee – Carper is an Americorps VISA, and her term expires in early 2014.

“In the 2012-2013 fiscal year, you gave us $8,600,” Carper told the commission Thursday. “We used $4,000 of that for staff operations and $4,600 for program needs. This year we’re asking for increased funding of $15,000 to support full-time staff, which is a requirement for us to become a National Main Street.”

Also Thursday, Sharon Bedford, the executive director of the Child Advocacy Center for Randolph and Tucker counties, asked for “level” funding, requesting neither an increase or decrease in the $15,000 the commission provided during 2012-2013.

Bedford reviewed the CAC’s mission and briefed commissioners on some national and local statistics on child sexual abuse.

The CAC provides services and treatment to children who have been sexually abused, and works to prevent child sexual abuse.

Most notably, when a child has been sexually abused, the CAC makes it possible for the child to tell their story only one time to a forensic interviewer as opposed to up to 15 times, which was the standard prior to the inception of the CAC program.

“Statistics show that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 5 boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday,” Bedford informed commissioners. “That’s about 20 percent of children.”

In fiscal year 2012-2013, the CAC referred 69 children for mental health services, and the agency provided on-site assessment services to 48 families. Sixteen children received medical exams and treatment, and there were 1,182 instances of case management activities, Bedford said.

“With your support, children will not be retraumatized by the retelling of their story and children and their families will have a better chance to get the help they need in a manner that is considerate and respectful,” Bedford said.

The commission made no decisions on those funding requests at Thursday’s meeting.

In other business, the commission:

– Approved and signed a Victims of Crime Act grant application in the amount of $28,201, which pays for the salary of the victims services coordinator in the Randolph County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

– Voted to donate $2,000 to Tygarts Valley High School for its after-graduation lock-in.

– Voted to donate $1,500 to the Elkins Depot Welcome Center for its April 27 Ramps and Rails Festival, as well as two free concerts slated to take place in the town square this summer.

– Approved a request from Randolph County Office of Emergency Management Director Jim Wise to move E-911 dispatcher Scott Simmons from part-time employment to full-time employment, effective Monday.

– Approved and signed a grant contact in the amount of $4,000 with the Randolph County Humane Society.

Contact Katie Kuba by email at kkuba@theintermountain.com.

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