Published: April 22, 2008 09:24 pm         

UTV might be stationed at head of Burning Rock trail

A utility terrain vehicle, designed to act as an ambulance on rough terrain where navigation is tight, might be stationed at the head of the Burning Rock ATV Trail in Raleigh County, commissioners disclosed Tuesday.

Burning Rock opens July 4 and there has been some concern expressed about the availability of rescue services, if needed, along the trail.

“When accidents happen and someone out on the trail needs help, that piece of equipment would be there — an ambulance, so to speak, to go out and find those persons,” commission president Pat Reed explained.

Just recently, the commission put up some money to buy such a unit for the Sophia Area Volunteer Fire Department, located in the general area of the ATV trail.

“We realize the VFDs will be assisting, and, of course, we’ve talked to ambulances as far as getting people there,” Reed said.

“We don’t look to have a line of ambulances out there. It doesn’t happen that often.”

Officials of two such VFDs — Coal City and Rhodell — appeared before the commission to seek help in getting such vehicles for rescue and training purposes but were given little encouragement.

“I think this is something you would like to see every fire department equipped with,” Reed told Ryan Bragg of the Coal City VFD.

“But at this time, it would be really difficult for us to have funding to do that.”

However, she indicated, a possible fire levy next year could produce the level of revenue that would allow the county’s 13 volunteer fire units not only to have the UTVs but also other equipment they need.

Michael Holhouser of the Rhodell VFD advised the commission it could prove beneficial to have more than one such unit in close proximity to Burning Rock in case the first one breaks down and is in need of service.

“We’re so far down in the county,” he told the commission. “It’s not just trails from Burning Rock but trails outside Burning Rock we’ll get calls.”

On another matter, Alecia Peters described a proposed $273,000 tennis complex that will feature six lighted courts operational 24/7 in the Trap Hill District, and asked the commission to put up between $1,000 and $1,200 to finance two nets and two sets of net posts.

The commission took the request under advisement.

Peters hailed the project as a potential economic boost to the community since the courts could attract major tournaments while providing an outlet of recreation to tennis players at all skill levels.

Commissioners added three new streets — Breezewood Way, Withrow Alley and Burning Rock Drive — and agreed to name changes that switched Alderson Branch Road to South Burning Rock Drive, Sept Lane to Bailey’s Knoll and Penny Lane to Gilbert Lee Ridge.

In other business, the commission:

- Approved a drawdown of $5,514.42 for the homeland security mass migration plan.

- Approved a $3,862 drawdown for the homeland security GIS project.

- Approved $4,377.25 drawdown for the Pine Haven Homeless Shelter.

- Changed precinct 48 for the May 13 primary from Whitby Mission Church to Vision Free Baptist Church, and approved releases to use Calloway Heights Community Church and the Beckley-Raleigh County Board of Health as polling places.

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com