Stan Dragovich, representative from the Leadmine CERT team, requests funding for first aid kits for the team during Wednesday’s Tucker County Commission meeting.
By Beth Christian
Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
PARSONS – The Leadmine CERT team asked the Tucker County Commission for help purchasing some Elite First Aid Kits. Member Stan Dragovich made the request during Wednesday’s Tucker County Commission meeting.
“I came to talk to the County Commission today to see if they could help the Leadmine CERT team,” Dragovich said. “We are looking to get some new first aid kits.”
Dragovich said where he lives is pretty isolated.
“We are with the CERT Team,” he said. “We established the team about 10 years ago and have never asked the county for anything except when we first started and needed a small trailer to haul our gear in. After that, we have put everything in it ourselves.”
Dragovich said by having cake walks and other fundraisers, the team has purchased generators and other items.
“During Superstorm Sandy, we let folks use the generators,” Dragovich said. “Mostly, they were used by folks that had ailments and needed to be on oxygen. They came first.”
Dragovich said the CERT Team has been out to help assist EMS on different calls.
“Last Saturday, 10 of our members went through Basic Life Support training,” Dragovich. “We had first aid and CPR training.”
Dragovich said the first aid kits are necessary because in the Leadmine area, it’s about a half hour drive to anywhere you go. He said five to 10 kits would be what are needed to most help the CERT Team help the community. The team currently has 30 to 40 members.
Commission President Lowell Moore asked Dragovich to complete a financial request form.
“Put down exactly what you want and get the form back to us,” Moore said. “That is what we need to have.”
Commissioner Diane Hinkle asked what the CERT Team’s role is with regard to EMS.
“We haven’t really established that,” Sheila Marsh, Tucker County EMS Director said. “If there is a cardiac arrest or a severe bleed, they obviously can help with that, and they respond first before we get there. And they have done that. There is another CERT Team in Hambleton, and I believe they are trying to get another class started there. Leadmine CERT has come out quite a few times to help.”
“So it could be a good thing if we have more CERT Teams throughout the county?” Hinkle asked.
“Yes,” Marsh answered.
“Your major role is to respond out to help until the EMS arrives,” Moore said.
Hinkle asked if there was some kind of memorandum of understanding between EMS and the Leadmine CERT Team.
“No,” Marsh said. “That is something we are going to work on. They obviously cannot respond to every scene unless they become certified first responders, which we do not have in Tucker County. There is a place for CERT. They are and would be a valuable asset to small municipalities in Tucker County.”
Also during Wednesday’s meeting, representatives from Timberline Four Seasons Resort asked Commissioners for a one-day alcohol permit for the resort’s Chili Cook-Off for Oct. 24. Proceeds from the Cook-Off will benefit the local fire departments.
Hinkle said she loved that the Cook-Off benefits the local fire departments. Commissioners approved the permit unanimously.
Dustin Luzier said he attended a training offered by the Fusion Center on sovereign citizens.
“It was a very good training,” Luzier said. “It is a growing problem in our area.”
Luzier said his program participants are not doing much community service because they all have jobs.
“They are working and paying their fines and that is all we can ask for,” Luzier said.
Luzier said his office is looking for grant opportunities.
“If we can get some other funding sources secure it will help us in the long run,” Luzier said.
Joel Goughnour said the Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority Grant is in and was received. He said they will be notified of the status at the end of the month. “Hopefully, we will get another grant.”
Moore said he hopes they receive the grant as well.
“I sure hope so, because that is what we are using to do the exterior work on the Courthouse,” Moore said.
Moore read a letter from Dan Bucher of Cortland thanking them for the opportunity to share the news of their upgrades and expansion.
Moore said he tabled a motion at the last Commission meeting and wanted to bring it back up.
“We had a couple members who applied for the Tucker County Ambulance Authority and I tabled that last month,” Moore said. “Today I would like to move that we are not going to fill that position at this time. I want to take it off.”
Hinkle said she wanted to be clear.
“We are not eliminating the position, we are just not filling the position?” Hinkle asked.
“At the present time, we are not going to fill it,” Moore said. “I want to clarify this. This term we are talking about is Elmer Gaither’s and his term is up. He will not be a member on there – we are not going to fill that now.”
The motion passed unanimously.
Tucker County Clerk Sherry Simmons said she applies for grant money for preserving county records through the Records Management & Preservation Grant.
“I am asking for your support for two public computers, birth certificate records and land book in the amount of $15,337,” Simmons said. “It will be to digitize, restore, mend, encapsulate or recover permanent records.”
Simmons said Joe Geiger, the Director of the State Archives, came and reviewed the vault. “He was very, very impressed.”
In other business, Commission members took the following action:
-Voted to reappoint Rosemary Davis to the Tucker County Historical Commission.
-Voted to reappoint Ben Nelson to the Tucker County Development Authority.
-Voted to support the Safe Affordable Food Statement.
-Voted to approve the first and final reports.
-Voted to approve the payments.
-Voted to approve the erroneous assessments, pending approval by Tucker County Prosecuting Attorney Ray LaMora III.
The next Tucker County Commission meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Tucker County Courthouse Courtroom.
