Upshur County Commission members agreed Thursday to grant a request from Joyce Harris-Thacker, chair of the Upshur County Solid Waste Authority, to sign a proclamation making April Make it Shine Month in the county.
The state's Make It Shine initiative is a comprehensive program aimed at making West Virginia the cleanest state in the nation. Throughout the state, groups of volunteers, businesses, community organizations and local governments are working to accomplish this goal.
The WV Make It Shine Program coordinates the efforts of these people and groups, and it is involved in several events each year. The statewide cleanup is conducted during the first two weeks of April each year.
Article Photos
The Inter-Mountain photo by John Clise
Members of the Upshur County Commission on Thursday approve and sign a proclamation recognizing April as Make It Shine Month. From left are Commissioner Creed Pletcher, Commissioner J.C. Raffety, Upshur County Solid Waste Authority Chair Joyce Harris-Thacker and Commission President Donnie Tenney.
Commissioners said a few individuals cause the most problems for litter control issues on the county, and they praised the efforts of volunteers to rid the county of litter and its unwanted presence along roads.
In other commission business, commissioners approved hiring Michelle Posey to serve as case manager for the Lewis County Day Report Center.
The center, operated at locations in Upshur, Lewis and Braxton counties, serves as an alternative to jail for certain offenders who qualify. It allows the respective counties to save tax dollars and allows these individuals to receive rehabilitative service such as counseling.
The program has saved Upshur County approximately $100,000 in magistrate court fees since July 2011, officials reported.
Micah Hitt-Harris, program director for the Community Corrections Center, which operates the day report centers, said the goal of the program is to help people get the services they need.
Hitt-Harris said those charged with domestic violence and driving under the influence are prime candidates to be helped.
"This program has been one of the pearls of government service," Commissioner J.C. Raffety said.
He added that for every dollar invested in the program, $2 is saved.
Steven M. Linger, Upshur County E911 director, appeared before the commission to discuss the replacement of a repeater on the French Creek communications tower that is now 30 years old and at the end of its life as a productive piece of equipment.
Linger said the replacement cost is about $4,000. The replacement is not only needed because of the equipment's age, but it also is required by the Federal Communications Commission by Dec. 31 to comply with new regulations.
Linger said all such equipment will have to be narrow band rather than wide band.
Additionally, communications on the repeater have been difficult, and it has been replaced with a temporary unit after an inspections showed it to be beyond repair.
Linger will return to the commission with an estimate for the new equipment and other needed materials for the relocation of the repeater. Its new location will be on Cleveland Mountain to better serve the Adrian Banks District and Selbyville volunteer fire departments and the needs of the residents in that area of the county.
