CCC
Meets
Up Front
Terry Martin
The Peanut Gallery
Wednesday morning, Sept. 25th, all
three
of the Clay County Commissioners were on hand to handle
the demands
of Clayberry goverance. Few were in the peanut gallery to
watch the action.
Before thing actually opened, there was
small
talk on some upcoming lawsuit with a court date having
been set.
Commission Prez Greg Fitzwater mentioned something on a
lawsuit over the
handcuffing method of an arrestee. We'll try to get the scoop
and report
in the near future.
Also before the actual meeting, Terry
Martin (moneybag
intermediate from Charleston) was on hand to conduct a hearing
on the long
discussed broadband initiative to grow decent internet speeds
and service
in this county. From Martin: a grant is sought to cover the
county; 75
to 80% of the county should receive service; the system will
include wired
and wireless systems; and, moneys include: $360K from a HUD
grant and $1.452
from an ARC grant.
After opening statements comments /
questions
were received. From that we learned: a new local committee
will be advisory
only; County Commission has the final say in any decisions;
focus is on
the local power companies to take charge of the new DSL
service; two other
counties (Roane and Calhoun) are not ready to apply for that
same pot of
money; and, next step, get engineering work done.
CCC voted to apply for the funds.
A couple weeks back, the CCC was asked to
write
a letter of support to save the old swinging bridge in
Elkhurst. The span
is one of the few remaining cable bridges left in the state,
maybe the
only one of its type left standing.
On the 25th, without discussion, we heard
three
Yes votes to pen the much needed letter of support.
The biggy for the public meeting was
agenda item
13 which read: move to authorize the Reserve Deputies to carry
weapons.
Reserve Deputies are the volunteers that help park or guide
cars during
high traffic times like ball games or the Big Apple.
Just above was what was on the agenda
but, earlier
this year, under the leadership of Delegate Roger Hanshaw, a
new state
wide law came to be which includes firemen, reserve deputies,
and ambulance
personnel are now allowed to carry side arms while on duty IF
the county
commission approves it. Gulp!
Has something happened or near happened
in Clayberry
to support such a change? Fitz: No.
Does anybody else think there's a problem
with
such gun toting? CCC Chair Fitz led the charge to slow this
thing down
so more info can be gathered.
Lengthy discussion led by Fitz
included:
concerns over insurance coverage for the gun toters;
what guns can
be carried; who actually owns the gun; what about training on
when to draw
the weapon; reserve deputies dress like a trained and
certified Badges
and confusion with the public over who is who; what
happens when
one of the weaponized people actually pull the trigger;...
Fitz, "There's whole lot of if's... They
look
like deputies...If they shot back, who is
responsible....There's a whole
lot of questions.."
Clickers, if you attended the recent
Apple Festival,
the volunteer reserve folks were uniforms and T shirts with
the great big
badge on the back. For many, that makes them look like a fully
trained
Officer of the Law. They are not. What the volunteer Black
Shirts is a
much needed job but they are not Badges.
Reserve Deputies are just another set of
eyes
to watch for bad stuff. When they see it, they're suppose to
use a radio
to call for Law.
Our County Commission voted to table the
action.
This as a big and maybe costly decision
for our
future. Have a thought on what they should do? Now is a good
time to talk
to your elected reps.
AW