BUCKHANNON – Senator Bill Hamilton on Thursday presented a $5,000 grant award to the Upshur County Commission earmarked to help the Warren District Community Center.

Hamilton, who represents the 11th Senatorial District, attended the Oct. 7 Upshur County Commission meeting to present the check, which will provide financial assistance to the struggling Hodgesville area community center. Like other community organizations and businesses, its operations have been detrimentally impacted by the ongoing pandemic.

“It’s a privilege to be here with you all today. I have a presentation for a check to the Upshur County Commission [for the] Warren District Community Center,” Hamilton said. “It’s been a tough year-and-a-half for us, for everybody, and especially our community centers. They’re usually open for weddings and Lions Club pancake dinners, but they have not been able to do that because of COVID.”

The LEDA grant award was donated on behalf of West Virginia Governor Jim Justice’s office and sponsored by several senators.

“This check is on behalf of Governor Justice; Senator Craig Blair, president of the Senate; Senator Eric Tarr, the chair of finance; Senator Karnes, who is my fellow senator in the 11th district; and me. We’d like to present you with a check of $5,000,” Hamilton said. “I have another check coming for the Youth Camp, which is pretty close to my heart because I’m an old 4-H member with Upshur County.”

The Upshur County Youth Camp is located in Selbyville and operates as a headquarters for county 4-H camp activities through the Upshur County WVU Extension Service office.

Prior to adjourning, the commission also:

• Adopted a policy extending emergency absentee voting for the Jan. 15, 2022, special school bond levy election. This emergency absentee voting policy permits someone qualified to vote a regular absentee ballot to vote an emergency absentee ballot if that person is admitted to the hospital, a health care facility or nursing home seven or fewer days before Election Day. The policy requires the voter to have been hospitalized in an Upshur County facility or within 35 miles of the City of Buckhannon.

• Approved the number of election officials and election commissioners for the county’s 21 precincts for the Jan. 15, 2022, special school bond levy election.

• Approved the appointment of emergency absentee voting commissioners for the Jan. 15, 2022, special school bond levy election.

• Approved correspondence to Ryan Halsey, project manager, enclosing a Community Development Block Grant-Small Cities Block Grant request for payment for the Elkins Road PSD Phase III Water System Improvements in the amount of $13,512.85.

• Approved a request from Carrie Wallace, Upshur County administrator/county Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management director, to fill the vacant Emergency Management representative seat on the Enhanced Emergency Telephone Advisory Board. Upon approval, this term will expire on June 30, 2022.

• Approved Lewis–Upshur Animal Control Facility volunteer Shari Zalaznik.