Fayette County Commission appoints Canal Falls PSD member, accepts homeland-security grant and authorizes radio bids

FAYETTE COUNTY — The Fayette County Commission on April 1 appointed Billy Rristen to the Canal Falls Public Service District board, accepted a state-managed Homeland Security grant to purchase radios for law enforcement and authorized fire departments to solicit bids for radio equipment.

Commissioner Taylor moved to appoint “our only applicant Billy Rristen,” and the motion was seconded and carried, the commission said after returning from an executive session in which no formal decisions were made, according to the meeting record.

The commission also moved to accept a Homeland Security grant described at the meeting as about $10,000 to purchase digital, public-safety radios for the sheriff’s department. Dr. Means, attending by Zoom, said the grants “are federal grants that are managed through the West Virginia Emergency Management Division,” and offered to help locate the specific grant manager for follow-up questions.

Separately, members approved a motion to allow a fire department to put a proposed radio purchase out for bid and agreed to open bids at the May 6 meeting. The commission set aside one invoice — payment for an alarm system for a fire department — until the department chief can provide more information at the next meeting.

On opioid-settlement paperwork, the commission ratified signatures the president had already executed on settlement documents “based on advice by counsel,” and discussed whether to empower the commission president to sign future opioid-settlement documents without calling a meeting, so long as the prosecuting attorney and counsel do not object. One member expressed concern the agenda did not clearly set forth that authority and moved to postpone the matter for further consideration at the next meeting; other members said adequate minute documentation would suffice if the practice were used sparingly.

The commission approved a letter commending Meadow Bridge High School for its statewide Jennings Randolph award and discussed grant-match details for a separate 70/30 grant (the match was referenced during discussion as $181,144). Members noted the exact fiscal figures cited in the discussion were approximate and will be clarified in the minutes.

The meeting also included recognition of local students who won a Secretary of State sticker design contest for middle-schoolers; the commission said the winning designs will be distributed at polling places and during early voting.

What’s next: Several items were postponed for further review. The commission scheduled election-equipment testing to start at 8:30 a.m. on a certification day in May and may cancel the May 27 meeting depending on needs. The animal-control officer job description was postponed to the April 21 meeting; the commission created five positions for an animal shelter board and will review applications through the stated deadline.

Votes at a glance: • Appoint Billy Rristen to Canal Falls PSD — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (vote recorded as voice votes). • Accept Homeland Security grant (~$10,000) for sheriff’s department radios — approved. • Authorize fire-department radio bid solicitation — approved; bids to be opened May 6. • Ratify opioid-settlement signatures previously signed by the president — approved; proposal to grant future signing authority was postponed for further review. • Approve vouchers and invoices with one exception (alarm-system payment held for chief’s input) — approved with exception.

All quoted material and attributions are taken from the meeting record. The commission announced it went into executive session for legal advice and personnel matters and reported no decisions were made in that executive session.