LEWISBURG — Greenbrier County has taken another step toward the long-term preservation of documents maintained by the County Clerk’s office.

Tuesday evening, the County Commission voted unanimously to begin the process of acquiring a digital imaging system to electronically store official documents such as deeds and marriage licenses. The system, which will be purchased from Complete System Support Inc., a Parkersburg company, will require an initial investment of around $100,000.

Deputy Clerk Robin Loudermilk explained personnel in her office have already scanned the county’s documents to provide a back-up record in case of a catastrophic loss from a fire or other disaster.

The new system will allow the public instant access to many of those records via computer terminals that will be installed in the clerk’s office. That will save wear and tear on aging paper documents dating back as far as 1780, Loudermilk noted.

The ultimate goal is to have the documents accessible through the Internet.

CSSI has agreed to interest-free financing for the purchase of the system, with a down-payment of close to $30,000 followed by a series of monthly payments.

The money for the software, hardware and server will come from the county’s coal severance fund, commission President Betty Crookshanks said.

Loudermilk said she is also looking into possible grant funding to help offset part of the cost.

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The commission voted to table a decision on continuing the 911 Center’s established emergency towing dispatch procedures, after Commissioner Michael McClung said he has fielded several complaints about a disparity in the number of calls given to each of the county’s wrecker companies.

“It’s pretty lopsided,” he remarked, adding, “There are reasons they are that way.”

McClung said Adwell’s is dispatched on more than half of the calls, primarily because “Lewisburg gives them all of their business.”

McClung had expected representatives from some of the county’s other wrecker services to address the commission, but none attended Tuesday’s meeting. Therefore, McClung moved to table adoption of the procedures until the complaining parties could be heard in a public forum.

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Under the public comment portion of the meeting, various complaints were aired, including two lodged against the sheriff, who did not attend Tuesday’s session.

Former Department of Natural Resources official Bob Mankins asserted that Sheriff James Childers was rude to him and refused to investigate an allegation that a deputy had shot a coyote caught in a trap set by Mankins.

Former County Commissioner Steve Malcomb, who is seeking his party’s nomination to run against Childers for sheriff, said after he complained about the Sheriff’s Department’s spending practices last year, he was subjected to harassing telephone calls. Malcomb made clear he believes those calls came from Childers.

The individual who called him threatened to suspend his concealed weapons permit, Malcomb said, saying he plans to sue the sheriff and the county commission if his permit is ever lifted.

McClung told Mankins and Malcomb, “The sheriff doesn’t work for us.”

Childers seconded that sentiment when contacted Wednesday by The Register-Herald for a response to the allegations raised by the two men.

He said the incident recounted by Mankins is the subject of a report compiled by Chief Deputy Kirby Hanson. The officer in question responded to a 911 call about a coyote caught in a fence and responded accordingly, Childers said.

As for Malcomb’s assertions, Childers said, “It is political. It’s campaign time, so sit back and watch. I’m just disappointed that our public officials — our county commissioners — are allowing the public comment part of their meeting to be used to bash me.”

Complaining to the commissioners about a different subject was Tink Sanford, who expressed outrage that the out-of-state owner of acreage leased by a rod and gun club in western Greenbrier County pays property taxes at the managed timberland rate rather than at the higher rental property levy.

Sanford asked the commission to help him lobby the Legislature to change the law that allows such a practice.

— E-mail: talvey@register-herald.com