The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

March 6, 2013

Crime Stoppers asks Raleigh officials for funding

Register-Herald Reporter

Raleigh County Commission President Dave Tolliver clearly was impressed Tuesday as Crime Stoppers official Butch Fink ran through a litany of figures, noting the success of the program that lets citizens provide anonymous tips to police for monetary rewards.

But Tolliver gave Fink no assurance that he would be given $5,000 to help the organization in the coming year.

“Obviously, it’s a worthwhile cause for the community and Raleigh County as a whole,” Tolliver said at Tuesday’s commission meeting.

“We’ll take this under advisement.”

Since its inception fully two decades ago, Fink pointed out, Crime Stoppers has cleared 342 cases with citizen input, paid a total of $54,695 to 281 tipsters, and recovered some $216,976 in property while confiscating nearly $1 million in narcotics and other illegal drugs.

Altogether, with help from the public, law enforcement agencies seized $9,594 in drug money, he told the commission.

Fink provided letters of commendation for the program from Raleigh County Sheriff Steve Tanner and Beckley Police Chief Tim Deems.

“We’re in the budget process,” Tolliver told him. “We’ll get back to you with a decision on this.”

Tolliver issued the same cautionary remark to Fred Cooper in his appeal for funding to help him promote the West Virginia Childrens Health Insurance Program in Raleigh, Fayette and Wyoming counties, the region he oversees.

Cooper said the program has reached 90 percent of the children in the tri-county region, but his goal is to see that all of them are insured.

“The last 10 percent are just as needy as the first 90 percent,” he said.

“It’s not just adequate insurance. It’s excellent.”

On other matters, the commission:

— Approved the return of former Deputy Lonnie Carper to the sheriff’s department. Sheriff Steve Tanner said Carper remains trained and certified, meaning he can immediately report for duty.

— Accepted a $5,000 Tee Grant drawdown through the Governor’s Community Participation Program.

— Approved a drawdown of $990.91 for the veterans museum in Beckley.

— Approved a $3,108.44 drawdown to benefit the Pine Haven homeless shelter in the Emergency Solutions program.

— Agreed to Tanner’s request for two copier upgrades in his office.

— Accepted an agreement for the DUI program administered by the sheriff’s department.

— Approved the annual compliance letter for the Tax Increment Finance program involving Glade Springs Resort.

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com

 

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