Wood County Commission approves $30K in Arc funds
Also approves evidence tech
Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley Executive Director Liz Ford and Program and Activities Coordinator Doug Hess spoke to the Wood County Commission Thursday about work the organization does and the need to do maintenance at their Dudley Avenue facility. The commission approved $30,000 to go towards the work. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Wood County Sheriff Rick Woodyard spoke to the Wood County Commission Thursday about wanting to hire an evidence tech who can process crime scenes, freeing deputies to do other work. Woodyard wants to model the program on the one in place for the Parkersburg Police Department, hiring a retired officer with investigation experience to do the work. He wants the person to train with the Parkersburg Police tech so they will be on the same page in processes if the two have to work together on a major incident in the future. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley Executive Director Liz Ford and Program and Activities Coordinator Doug Hess spoke to the Wood County Commission Thursday about work the organization does and the need to do maintenance at their Dudley Avenue facility. The commission approved $30,000 to go towards the work. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Wood County Sheriff Rick Woodyard spoke to the Wood County Commission Thursday about wanting to hire an evidence tech who can process crime scenes, freeing deputies to do other work. Woodyard wants to model the program on the one in place for the Parkersburg Police Department, hiring a retired officer with investigation experience to do the work. He wants the person to train with the Parkersburg Police tech so they will be on the same page in processes if the two have to work together on a major incident in the future. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
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PARKERSBURG -- The Wood County Commission approved $30,000 for the Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley and approved the hiring of an evidence tech for the Sheriff's Department.
Representatives of the Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley and Sheriff Rick Woodyard appeared before the commission Thursday on separate matters.
Executive Director Liz Ford and Program and Activities Coordinator Doug Hess talked about the history of the organization, which has been around since 1955 and is one of the oldest disability service providers in Wood County for people with intellectual, cognitive and related developmental disabilities.
Even during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have been able to be responsive and continue to meet the needs of people in the area with virtual services and more. They employ people at two thrift stores and a cafe locally to train people with job skills they can take to other employers.
"Our goal is to be a thriving part of our community for many years," Ford said.
Over five years ago, the PM Company donated the building the Arc occupies on Dudley Avenue to the organization.
Ford said the building needs a little maintenance and will be starting a capital campaign next week to raise $350,000 to be able to make improvements to their building. Work will include some exterior work to help keep moisture out, painting the building, a new parking lot and an elevator added to the building.
With better access to the upstairs area, they could provide more educational and advocacy programs. The elevator is estimated to cost between $50,000 and $100,000.
Ford said local legislators Del. John Kelly, Del. Roger Conley, Sen. Mike Azinger and Sen. Donna Boley have committed $29,000 to the project. The Arc will also be applying to the city of Parkersburg for help.
Commission President Blair Couch moved to contribute $30,000 to the Arc, which was unanimously approved by the commission.
"You now have $59,000 and you are well on your way," he said.
Commissioner Jimmy Colombo asked for a more detailed listing of what is being planned. He also said the organization has given many people in the community a new perspective on life.
"It gives them hope to improve themselves and that helps the community completely," he said.
In other business, Woodyard appeared before the commission for approval to hire an evidence tech to process crime scenes and be a liasion to the West Virginia Fusion Center.
Woodyard said he wants to use the model the Parkersburg Police Department has, hiring a retired officer with investigation experience. Currently, deputies are answering calls and processing scenes.
A sergeant is assigned to the evidence room and is in charge of handling that evidence, labeling it and making sure it is where it needs to be. A tech would handle those duties and the sergeant, who is a detective, can go back to investigations.
The tech would have time to properly process the crime scene.
"I think that will really boost the detectives' ability to go out and do their jobs," Woodyard said. "It would give them another resource to help them in the investigation."
Woodyard wants the tech to train with the Parkersburg Police tech. They would operate under the same procedures so if they would have to work together on a major incident they would be on the same page with processes and how things are handled, Woodyard said.
"We want to model what we do with them," the sheriff said. "That would allow the ability to have two crime scene units who could show up at a scene to work together."
The commission unanimously approved the hiring of the evidence tech.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com