By Michelle Wolford, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.
Nov. 4--KINGWOOD -- Perry Barlow didn't get someone from each fire company, but he came close.
Barlow, president of the Preston County Firefighters Association, tried to have representatives from each company literally behind him when he asked the Preston County Commission for land. In the end, only eight of the county's 12 fire companies were represented, including Kingwood, where Barlow is assistant chief.
To Barlow's way of thinking, local fire companies, all staffed by volunteers, could save some valuable time and money if they didn't have to travel for fire training. And if they're going to train in the county, having some land in hand when they start looking for grant money might be beneficial.
He asked the Preston County Commission to make some land available next to the new 911 Center for a fire training center.
"Now, we have to travel to Clarksburg for training, and that ties up equipment and takes time," he said. "I'm asking for five acres of land the county already owns."
The land in question, east of the 911 Center, does not have a use designated in the county's master plan, Barlow said.
There are steel frame buildings on the market that could suit the county fire association's needs, and, "as money comes in, we can add things. We could even work with the sheriff's department to do some training there as well," Barlow said.
Though supportive of the proposal, commissioners said they'd need to explore some options before bestowing land on the firefighters. For one thing, though the association is a nonprofit, it might be more beneficial to them if the county holds title to the land.
"We may have to keep it in the county's name to avoid property taxes you may not be able to afford," Commission President Craig Jennings said.
"It may come down to we apply for a grant for you," Commissioner Vicki Cole said.
Dave Price introduced a motion that the commission continue to move forward on a plan to help firefighters.
Office of Emergency Management/911 Director Duane Hamilton said he'd welcome the firefighters next door to the center.
"I think it's a great idea," he said. "I don't see any disadvantage to it."
The 911 center will have a training room inside for such functions, he said, and he could easily see firefighters in that room for part of the day and doing hands-on work next door for the rest. A burn building offers firefighters a chance to see fire conditions first-hand.
Firefighters from Albright, Bruceton-Brandonville, Fellowsville, Masontown, Reedsville, Tunnelton and Mount Grove attended the meeting.
Also Monday, commissioners:
Appointed JoAnn Peterson to fill a vacancy on the Greater Morgantown Convention and Visitors Bureau, which also covers Preston County. Peterson runs Mountaineer County Tours.
Heard from Sheriff Dallas Wolfe that bailiff Robert Baylor has submitted his resignation, effective at the end of the year and that Chief Deputy Jeff Roberson has retired from the Preston County Sheriff's Department. Wolfe said he is trying to rehire Roberson as chief deputy.
Heard Wolfe's plans for training his officers. He said he'd like each deputy to develop a specialty. To that end, Deputy G.A. Sinclair will go for polygraph training in the coming months, and Deputy B.A. Palmer will train with a K-9. Wolfe said his goal is "to move toward selfsufficiency."
Voted to rescind a memo of understanding with North Central Community Corrections and form a regional board made up of Preston, Taylor and Barbour counties. "It just wasn't the mesh we'd hoped for," said County Administrator Kathy Mace of the sixcounty group. "And the distance and travel was too great."
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