Greenbrier Commission congratulates Sgt. Rick Honaker on his retirement
By Matthew Young, RealWV
LEWISBURG, W.Va. – The Greenbrier County Commission, on Tuesday, opened bids submitted for three separate projects: generator replacement and managed service providers for the Emergency Communications 911 Tower on Hopkins Mountain, as well as landscaping at the Greenbrier County Health Department facility.
Lewisburg-based Greenbrier Technologies & Electric was the only contractor to submit bids for the two 911 tower contracts. Their proposal for a replacement generator was a 26 kilowatt unit, at a cost of $12,021.48. And while no specific total was included with their proposal for the managed service provider contract, Commissioner Tammy Tincher noted that it contained a “significant explanation of information.”
“To provide precise pricing, we respectfully request the opportunity to discuss current system configurations, existing vendor relationships, and expectations regarding scope exclusion and third-party coordination,” Tincher read from Greenbrier Technologies & Electric’s proposal. “This information will allow us to submit a final contract amount that reflects actual service requirements.”
Greenbrier County Emergency Services and Homeland Security Director Don Havens will now review both submissions, before providing his recommendation to the commission.
Much the same as the two 911 tower projects, only a single bid was submitted for the landscaping work at the Greenbrier County Health Department. Caldwell-based Riverbend Landscaping, LLC. submitted a proposal for the contract, for the amount of $86,918.40. The commission will now review their bid, and make an award determination in the near future.
Next before the commission was approval of awards allocation associated with the 2025-2026 fiscal year Arts & Rec Grant program. Tincher explained that $536,664.39 had been requested, before making a motion to approve allocations of $381,664.39.
“We had requests [from the three ball field groups],” Tincher noted. “I would make that motion to approve this amount ($381,664.39) for the initial installment of grants, but I would also like to request that we do an assessment for all of the ball fields within the county to determine the needs, and look at the overall expenses.”
According to Commission President Lowell Rose, the different groups utilizing the ball fields are paying different prices for the necessary maintenance materials, including drying mix and marking lime.
“The commission decided we will back up and see about bulk purchase of those materials, so we can dole it out to each group, and possibly get a better price,” Rose said.
The commission noted that it will provide an itemized listing of what was and was not approved to all program applicants.
In other business, the commission approved the reappointment of six sitting members to the boards of the Greenbrier Valley Airport Authority, the the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation, Greenbrier County Zoning Appeals. And the Greenbrier County Planning Commission. Jerry Cook will serve another five-year term with the Airport Authority, while Debbie Parker will serve another three years as a board member of the Economic Development Authority. Ron Magruder and Joanna Kittle will return for three-years each on the Planning Commission’s board, and Jack Tuckwiller and Jann Holwick will serve three more years on the board of the Zoning Commission. Although Jim Bower, longtime board member of Public Service District #1, did not request reappointment, he will continue to serve until such time as the commission appoints his successor.
Last before commissioners was the approval of Sgt. Richard Honaker’s retirement from the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department.
According to County Sheriff Bart Baker, “Sgt. Honaker retired on June 10, after 18 years of service – over 30 (years) in total of law enforcement with Greenbrier County.”
“He (Honaker) started his career in Ronceverte, then went to Lewisburg City P.D.,” Baker explained. “We were able to recruit him away, and bring him to the Sheriff’s Department. He did serve quite well for many years as the PRO (public relations officer) officer at Greenbrier East.”
“We appreciate his great service to the citizens of Greenbrier County, and to the Sheriff’s Department,” Baker added.
The next Regular Meeting of the Greenbrier County Commission is scheduled for Tuesday, July 8, at 10 a.m.
