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Commissioners approve prevention program funding

By For The Greene County Messenger 4 min read
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The Greene County commissioners approved a request for $16,000 from the Coalition for a Brighter Greene during their public meeting on Thursday, March 8. Pictured (l. to r.): Commissioners Dave Coder and Archie Trader; Pastor Richard Berkey, Coalition for a Brighter Greene president; and Commissioner Blair Zimmerman.

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The Greene County commissioners proclaimed the month of March 2018 as Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Pictured (l. to r.): Commissioners Dave Coder and Archie Trader; Kira Sisk, Drug and Alcohol Program director; Commissioner Blair Zimmerman; and Karen Bennett, Human Services administrator.

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The Greene County commissioners proclaimed the month of March 2018 as Intellectual Disabilities Awareness Month. Pictured (l. to r.): Commissioner Dave Coder; Tabitha Rush, Greene Arc community aide; Elizabeth Moore, Greene Arc community program director; Diane Krall, IDD support coordinator; Paul Holmes, 2018 Achievement Award recipient; Commissioner Archie Trader; Deneen Chulick, IDD director; and Commissioner Blair Zimmerman.

WAYNESBURG – The Greene County Commissioners approved a request for $16,000 from the Coalition for a Brighter Greene during their public meeting on Thursday, March 8.

The request will support the Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) program that is currently in all five school districts for third to ninth grades. LST is an abuse prevention program that provides students with the skills necessary to handle challenging situations through promotion of healthy alternatives to risky behavior.

Pastor Richard Berkey, Coalition president, explained to the commissioners that they are in the fourth year of offering the LST program in our school districts. In addition, the Coalition recently co-hosted a drug prevention night to help educate parents about the drug crisis in Greene County.

During the meeting, commissioners also proclaimed March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month and Intellectual Disabilities Awareness Month.

According to the proclamation, problem gambling is a public health issue affecting millions of Americans of all ages, races and ethnic backgrounds. Forms of gambling include, but are not limited to, slot machines, casinos, online gambling and office pools. There is a significant societal and economic cost for individuals, families, businesses and communities when the gambling becomes a disorder.

Kira Sisk, director of the Drug and Alcohol Program, will be working with individuals, professionals and organizations to determine public awareness of problem gambling in Greene County, and assess the need for programming and possible interventions.

A public forum will be held at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28, in the Community Foundation at 106 E. High St. in Waynesburg. The public is invited and individuals may RSVP to Sisk at 724-852-5276 or ksisk@co.greene.pa.us.

Intellectual Disabilities Awareness Month offers advocates of developmental disabilities an opportunity to educate the public, policy makers and other system professionals about the challenges that come with intellectual disabilities. The proclamation recognizes the thousands of providers of services that support individuals with intellectual disabilities to lead full and productive lives within society.

Paul Holmes, an Intellectual and Development Disabilities program participant, received the 2018 Achievement Award acknowledging his outstanding program accomplishments. Holmes began the pre-vocational program in 1989, acquired his own apartment in 2008 and began working at Seldom Seen Horse Farm in January 2017.

“He may have one of the best tool collections in Greene County,” said Deneen Chulick, Intellectual and Developmental Disorders Program (IDD) director.

Holmes also enjoys working with horses, watching movies and completing puzzles.

In additional actions during the March 8 meeting, the commissioners:

n Approved a change order from Morgan Excavating, LP in the amount of $70,820 for the Greene County Airport access road east and parking lot. The change order will provide additional catch basins and associated piping.

n Granted a request for up to $3,600 from the Waynesburg American Legion James Farrell Post 330 for updating the flooring at their Post.

n Approved a right of way and acquisition services from ARROW for Greene County Bridge 8 on Calvert Hill Road in Perry Township for $16,531.22.

n Approved a lease between the County of Greene and Jason Neighbors for a parking lot on the south side of Waynesburg, pending solicitor approval.

n Appointed three members to the Administrative Review Panel for the Greene County Merit Hire System. The appointees are: Renee Miclnicki, Esquire, East Coast Risk Management general counsel/employment law consultant; Renee Donofrio, Blueprints human resource coordinator; and Brian Perkins, East Coast Risk Management controller/human resource manager.

n Approved a request from EQT to utilize an existing driveway off Progress Drive for a natural gas pipeline project, pending solicitor approval.

n Appointed 58 members to the Greene County Comprehensive Plan project advisory committee. Members represent various geographic sections of the county, along with a broad range of diversification from the businesses, community and organizations from Greene County.

n Agreed to eliminate a tax issue in Rices Landing Borough related to the old bank property owned by the borough. Jefferson-Morgan School District and Rices Landing Borough also agreed to fix this tax issue.

n Approved a contract for professional services between the county and Mission Critical Partners, LLC to provide radio system console and interoperability assessment in the department of emergency management.

n Approved an agreement with Family Ties Home Care, Inc. for Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities.

n Approved the 2017/2018 contracts with Keystone Adolescent and Westmoreland County Youth Shelter for Children and Youth Services.

n Granted a request from the Waynesburg University to potentially hold two cross country events at the Greene County Airport on Sept. 9 and Oct. 27.

The Greene County commissioners’ public meetings are open to the general public and are held at 10 a.m. in the Commissioners’ first-floor conference room. The next meeting will be Thursday, March 22.

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