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Berkeley County accepts $625,644 WV First Foundation award to fund interdiction equipment and community service staff
Summary
The Berkeley County Commission voted to accept a $625,644.46 award from the West Virginia First Foundation and approved a county plan to split funds among local law enforcement and the county’s community service program.
The Berkeley County Commission accepted a $625,644.46 grant from the West Virginia First Foundation on Jan. 9 and approved a county plan to split the money among city and county law enforcement, the state police and the county’s community service program.
The award will be split as presented by Tim Ziet, director of community corrections: $64,090.82 for the city police department to buy interdiction equipment including drones and vehicle-mounted gear; $148,876.58 for the sheriff’s department for interdiction training, a drug disposal unit, a drug take-back box and Raman analyzers; $31,238.29 for the West Virginia State Police for a Raman analyzer and other equipment; and $381,438.77 to expand Berkeley County’s community service program, including funds to pay a community service coordinator, two specialists, $50,000 for a vehicle and $13,680.38 to cover an electronic health record system.
“We were awarded $625,644.46,” Tim Ziet told the commission during his presentation and asked the board to accept the award and sign grant documents.
Ziet described the community service program as an alternative for lower-level offenders that keeps people employed and connected to family while they complete assigned hours. He said the program partners with about a dozen local nonprofits and public agencies — including recycling centers, Goodwill, parks and recreation and local road litter crews — and allows participants to complete hours through both service work and structured classes such as GED or life skills when appropriate.
Commissioners voted to accept the grant after a motion and second; the motion passed with the ayes recorded by the chair.
The county administrator noted the commission previously pledged future West Virginia First Foundation receipts to debt service on the county’s day report center expansion; Ziet and others said this grant acceptance and the local allocations align with that plan.
The commission did not name a single vendor award for equipment purchases at the meeting; Ziet described intended purchases and the county will proceed with procurement according to purchasing rules.
