Commission approves funding first-ever county firefighter, EMS personnel recognition banquet

Monica Zalaznik
June 30, 2022

BUCKHANNON – The Upshur County Commission approved a request of $750 to pay for food and plaques for an Upshur County firefighter and Upshur Emergency Medical Services recognition banquet.

Jewel Fisher, the assistant coordinator for Buckhannon Police Department Volunteers in Police Service, the city police department’s all-volunteer wing, attended the June 30 Upshur County Commission meeting to request the funds.

“This will be the first firefighter, EMS recognition banquet,” Fisher told commissioners. “I was asked back in October, ‘Why don’t you have law enforcement, firefighter and EMS together?’ …. I can handle one at a time but don’t give me all three of them together. I’m asking for a total of about $1,500 for the food and for the plaques this year, and I’m asking for $750 from the county and $750 from the city next week, so this will pay for the food.”

Fisher also invited all three commissioners to the banquet July 30 at the Event Center at Brushy Fork on Brushy Fork Road.

“Thank you again; we have been rushing around this last month getting everything in and my VIPS people are helping me. They’re going to be doing the desserts and like we did last time,” Fisher said. “We’ll have plenty of spaghetti planned for 300 people. It’s going to be an all-day thing for me and Steve Wykoff (VIPS coordinator) will be on the music and the dance stuff after the banquet, so it’s going to be a nice event.”

Prior to adjourning, the commission also took the following actions:

Approved a Request for Proposals for the fabrication, delivery and installation of an Exterior Vertical Platform Lift for the main Upshur County Courthouse facility. Sealed bids must be received by 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, 2022. Sealed bids received by this deadline will be opened, reviewed and read aloud by the commission during their regularly scheduled meeting at 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, July 28.

Approved a written request from Joshua Hinchman requesting reappointment to the Buckhannon-Upshur Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. Upon approval, Mr. Hinchman’s new term will be July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2024.

Approved and signed the FY 2022 Prevention Resource Officer grant application and supporting documentation requesting funds in the amount of $28,000 for the Prevention Resource Officer at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School.