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Barbour County Commission awarded PRO grant

The Barbour County Commission accepted a $20,000 PRO grant from Lynn Phillips, regional representative to Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s office, at Thursday’s meeting. The grant establishes Officer J. D. Roy as the Prevention Resource Officer at Philip Barbour High School. Standing from left are Commissioner Timothy McDaniel, Commission President Jedd Schola, Superintendent of Barbour County Schools Jeff Woofter, Commissioner Philip Hart, Phillips, Roy, Philip Barbour High School Principal Ron Keener, Delegate Danny Wagner and Doug Schiefelbein of Barbour County Schools.

PHILIPPI — The Barbour County Commission met in regular session Thursday to accept a $20,000 PRO grant from Lynn Phillips, regional representative for the office of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, to be utilized to retain Officer J. D. Roy as the PRO officer at Philip Barbour High School.

The PRO Program is a cooperative effort between schools and law enforcement to improve student’s attitudes and knowledge of criminal justice and law enforcement, while preventing juvenile delinquency and providing a safer school environment.

The Barbour County Commission received the first grant in 2012 and has continued to receive it each year.

PRO Programs place certified West Virginia police officers who are also certified Prevention Resource Officers in local middle and high schools. The officers maintain an office in the school and are on duty a minimum of 35-40 hours per week. In addition to the regular school day, PROs attend extra curricular activities throughout the school year.

The grant, part of Tomblin’s West Virginia Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Title II grant funds, is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act Formula Grant Program and administered by the West Virginia Division of Justice and Community Services.

Superintendent of Barbour County Schools Jeffrey Woofter and Philip Barbour Principal Roy Keener attended the acceptance ceremony. Keener noted that Roy does an excellent job and “all (Commissioners) were welcome to come down to the school to watch him do his job anytime.”

Also during the meeting:

∫ The Commission recognized and thanked Brian Talbott for all his hard work and dedication to the new BC Bank Park project. Talbott, a member of the BC Bank Board of Directors and owner of Talbott Lumber, Inc., was there “from morning to night” to oversee the construction and progress of the park “from day one,” officials said.

“We want to offer this plaque to Brian for his hard work in getting the new park completed,” said Commission President Jedd Schola.

BC Bank contributed $1.7 million to the effort to construct and complete the new artificial turf football field and walking track at the Philip Barbour High School complex. The new facilities can be used by the public when not being used during athletic events.

∫ Schola read and signed a proclamation announcing October as “Breast Cancer Awareness” month amid a room full of women who represented the Barbour County Chapter of the American Cancer Society and the Barbour County Health Department, Belington Medical Center, including several individuals who are cancer survivors.

Debbie Schoonover, chief operating officer at Belington Medical Center, and Rochelle Sutton, nurse director with the Barbour County Health Department, presented to the Commission a Breast Cancer Awareness flag, that the Commission noted would be put up for the month of October “somewhere” so the women of Barbour County will be made aware of the importance of being screened on a regular basis.

“We want to encourage women over 50 to get screened early,” said Sutton. “Every medical provider in Barbour County will move heaven and earth to get these women screened.”

Sutton said there are programs available for women to get screenings at very affordable costs and that the medical center and health department “doors are always open” to help find the program that best fits the individual.

Samual Rittenhouse of Women’s Aid in Crisis, with offices in Elkins and Philippi, requested that the Commission proclaim October “Domestic Violence Awareness” month. Rittenhouse read the proclamation and Schola signed it.

∫ The Belington Development Authority requested $16,000 from the Coal Bed Methane Severance Fund to improve the Belington City Park by adding extra lighting so the park may be used after daylight hours.

The additions will also be used for additional lighting for the Polar Express “North Pole” that expands each year through the efforts of Belington OnTrac, Belington Revitalization Committee and other community and business organizations. The Commission approved the request.

∫ A request for $200 for the Tourism luncheon hosting West Virginia of Division of Tourism Commissioner Amy S. Goodwin at Adaland Mansion was approved.

∫ Tammy Narog of Community Corrections requested the Commission consider starting a Christmas drive through the corrections program to involve community service individuals to help families and children at Ruby Memorial Children’s Hospital during the holiday season.

Narog noted a similar project was underway in Taylor County and results have been very favorable. The Commission requested that Narog move forward on the idea and get back with Commission coordinator Ben Propst.

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