The new Wood County Resiliency Center in Parkersburg. (File Photo)

PARKERSBURG — The new Wood County Resiliency Center is starting to schedule events and meetings.

“We are getting ready for our grand opening,” said Director Sydney Weber.

The grand opening is scheduled for 11 a.m. Jan. 7, she added.

Events are planned for Sunday that will take up half of the main ballroom space and accommodate around 40 people.

“That will be the first time that space will be used,” Weber said.

An event is planned for next Wednesday as well as another event at the end of the month which will utilize the large board room. Weber said that with theater style seating, the space can accommodate 40-50 people.

“I feel people will accommodate that space for smaller dinners and larger meetings,” Weber said.

Commission President Blair Couch said there have been groups asking about serving alcohol at events and asked how that will be handled.

Weber said she has been in contact with the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration and said they the center itself is not interested in being able to serve alcohol, but there are groups that may want to bring it on the property.

Weber was told that each client will have to apply for a special event license with the ABC at least two weeks before the event, but recommended people doing it a month before. The clients will have to get approval from the city first because the center is in the city and then go to the ABC.

“The liability will go on to the client with a special event license,” Weber said.

She said the first event where this will be an issue is scheduled for February and she has advised the client to begin the process now.

Officials said clients will have to abide by those rules. It cannot be a matter where someone buys alcohol somewhere and brings it into the facility without the ABC approvals.

People are still inquiring about booking the space, Weber said adding she has taken people on tours of the facility.

“It is filling up quick,” Weber said.

The county will have a videographer go through the facility and create 10 minute videos highlighting the facility’s use as an event venue, a meeting venue and as an emergency center. All the videos will be posted on the county’s website.

During the grand opening, Weber said she wants the preferred caterers available with an appetizer available for people to taste as well as have their menus available for people to look at.

Weber is working up proposed contracts to be able to book the space. She wants to do “frequent user” contracts so groups who will use the space regularly won’t have to fill out a new contract each time.

Commissioner Robert Tebay asked if any of the caterers have shown any interest in using the kitchen.

Some caterers have while others nearby said they might cook in their own kitchens and bring it to the center.

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo said the county is not trying to compete with other event planners. It is offering a space that might be able to accommodate a larger event or a larger number of people that other planners can not.

“We would be glad to work with them,” he said. “We are not trying to interfere with anyone’s business.”

“We are looking for the larger groups they can’t accommodate,” Weber said.

The goal would be to have the larger groups spend nights at local hotels and go to local restaurants, Couch said.

“It will all help the local economy,” Colombo said.

In other business, the commission unanimously awarded a contract for the Emergency Medical Dispatch Software Protocol System for the Wood County 911 Center. The system will cost $85,594, which covers the implementation and service plan costs).

Wood County 911 Director Mike Shook said the system will “greatly” help EMS, fire department and police certifications.

Training will be provided with the system, he said. The system was recommended to the county by officials in Logan County.

In other business

* The commission is looking at funding Tasers and laptop computers for the Wood County Sheriff’s Department through opioid settlement money. Sheriff Rick Woodyard said the department has three generations of tasers and a couple of the models no longer able to be serviced. Newer models are more superior and can allow for multiple shots if the first one does not connect. He also wants to get 20-25 laptop computers. They are reviewing processes and equipment and Woodyard wants to get to a point where they can replace a few items every year based on equipment life expectancy rather than have to do a group of equipment items in one year.

* Couch said the county hopes to have the old health department building on Sixth Street demolished during the first quarter of the new year.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com