Monday, June 4, 2012
EXTRA ONLINE EDITION
CHAMBER RECOGNIZES JUNE BUSINESS OF THE MONTH PAGE 5
Meeting to discuss raising fire fee set for June 14 By Jack Bailey jackbailey@theputnamstandard.com
WINFIELD – The Putnam County Commission will hold a special evening meeting on Thursday, June 14, at 7 p.m. at the courthouse in Winfield to discuss a proposal to raise the county's fire service fee. The Putnam Fire Board asked for the increase at the Commission's May 22 meeting. Last year, the Fire Board also asked for an increase in the fire service fee, but the commission rejected those increases, which would have doubled the amount home owners and businesses would have paid. The fire fee was implemented in 1986 and has never been raised. Putnam County Commissioner Joe Haynes asked for the evening meeting at the Commission's May 22 meeting, saying that he wanted everyone who had an interest in commenting on the proposed rate increase to have the opportunity to do so. “I feel it is important because it gives the community a chance to attend and have input,” Haynes said. “A lot of working people could not make a 9 a.m. meeting (the normal meeting time of the commission).” The most recent proposed SEE FEE ON PAGE 3
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Winfield Middle students attend ‘Scrub Camp’ SUBMITTED ARTICLE WINFIELD -- The Winfield Middle school HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) recently participated in the 2012 Scrub Camp at Mountwest Community College on May 21 and 22. Twelve students traveled to Huntington to attend hands-on Health career seminars. The group was provided scrubs to wear for four sessions. During a Radiologic Technology session, students were shown how x-rays are used to diagnose patient cases. Students toured an ambulance then rotated stations to intubate, read an EKG machine, and drill an intraosseous insertion. During a Pharmacy Technician session, students used a mortar and pestle to compound powder and liquid then prepared an IV bag with a syringe. In the last Anatomy session, students dissected cow eyes.
Students who attended were Hadlee Amos, Clarisa Brunty, Tiffany Childers, Sela Cottrill, Savanna Hill, Taylor, Huffman, Alliayah Lovejoy, Gabe McGinnis, Maggie Rumbaugh, Cartney Schoolcraft, Danny Snyder, and Lindsey Wallace.
School Board approves $101 million budget By David Payne Sr. davidpayne@theputnamstandard.com
WINFIELD -- Putnam County School officials say that not much has changed in their recently-passed 2012-2013 budget from the year before, although it does grant a small pay raise to teachers, substitutes and those who keep the county's extracurricular activities going. The board approved the proposed $101.6 million budget on May 21. Of the school system's antici-
pated revenue, the largest portions come from state and local taxes, with 37 percent from the state and a third from the county's taxes. Of the expenditures, 85 percent is for employee' salaries. The excess levy rate remained the same from the previous year with 45.9 cents per $100 assessed value for residential property and 91.8 cents per $100 of assessed value for commercial properties. There was a slight decrease in the levy rate to pay back the schools-construction bond,
said Chris Campbell, treasurer. That bond will be 13.84 cents per $100 assessed value for resident and 27.68 cents per $100 assessed value on commercial properties. Campbell said one new allotment for the year – of $70,000 was to reimburse the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals for the county's new dedicated truancy probation officer position. This allotment will cover the salary, which is around $37,000 as well as health-care benefits and other costs for the
employee. The probation officer will technically be an employee of the court and have the power of the court to enforce court orders. The county, however, will reimburse the court for the costs. Superintendent Chuck Hatfield said the county has a strong record of managing its resources effectively. “The staff has been doing a very good job of spending the public's money. We are in good SEE BUDGET ON PAGE 3
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