POLICE GRANT DISCUSSED — The Brooke County Commission Tuesday discussed with Brooke County sheriff’s deputies a grant they have secured for night vision equipment. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Commission made plans to advertise for night vision devices for the Brooke County Sheriff’s Department after learning the agency has been awarded a grant for the equipment.

Sgt. Shane Siranovic and Lt. Kyler Ferguson told commissioners during Tuesday’s meeting they had applied for an $80,000 grant from the state Department of Homeland Security a few years ago but learned only recently that it had been awarded.

The two said the equipment will be invaluable in conducting missing persons searches, while Siranovic added it could be lent to other local law enforcement agencies.

“We would be the only agency, aside from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, that would have these,” he said.

Commission President A.J. Thomas said the commissioners are very supportive of the acquisition while adding the timing is bad.

Thomas said while the grant requires no local match, the county won’t receive it until after it’s purchased and obtained the equipment and that must be done by Aug. 31.

He noted a legal ad must be placed because the cost for the devices exceeds $15,000.

Thomas and the other commissioners said they are financially strapped at this time, having adjusted their budget to accommodate a $501,393 increase from last year for health care coverage for the county’s employees.

County Commissioner Tom Diserio noted a quote received for the equipment will expire on July 27, and Thomas said the commission doesn’t want to affect the sheriff’s department’s chances of securing future grants.

“We don’t want to turn down a grant because that hurts your chances of getting another one,” said Thomas.

The commissioners encouraged Siranovic to submit specifications for the equipment to county Clerk Kimberly Barbetta so it can be advertised in the near future.

Financial constraints also came into play in a discussion of the replacement of a computer server for the county’s tax office.

Chief Tax Deputy Laurie Eastham told the commission the county’s tax office needs a new computer server because the current one is outdated and soon won’t be compatible with the system used for local tax records.

She advised the cost for the server and its installation is about $6,435.

The commissioners tabled the request, saying they are watching their spending carefully until Barbetta is able to determine the amount of money that will be carried over into the new fiscal year.