LEWISBURG — With more inclement weather in the forecast, the Greenbrier County Commission heard a recap of the impact the recent snowstorm had on the local office of emergency services.

OES director Al Whitaker said the effect on his budget should be minimal because he was on duty the entire weekend and he is salaried. He said the total cost to his office for emergency supplies was around $1,500, and the state has already pledged to reimburse $1,000 of that amount.

Many items, such as water and blankets, were donated when the OES set up a shelter Friday evening at Rhema Christian Center in Fairlea. The shelter served 114 families before closing Sunday morning, Whitaker said.

Although the shelter is no longer in operation, 121 Greenbrier county residents were still without power as of Tuesday morning, Whitaker told the commissioners.

Asked about the possibility of predicted rainfall on Christmas Eve causing a rapid snow melt and flooding, Whitaker said the National Weather Service is now calling for the county’s late-week precipitation to take the form of ice rather than rain. While more power outages may result, at least the snow melt should be gradual, he added.

Questions were raised by the audience and the media about the commission’s decision to adjourn into executive session to discuss “personnel and contracts.”

After objections were also voiced by Commissioner Brad Tuckwiller, the session was reopened to the public.

The personnel at issue are not county employees; they are employed by a janitorial service under contract to provide custodial workers for the courthouse, according to commission president Betty Crookshanks.

Tuckwiller suggested the proper course of action is for the commissioners to meet with the vendor, not to “talk about him while he’s not here.”

The other commissioners agreed.

The contract referred to in the call for the executive session was for snow removal around the courthouse. Crookshanks asked and received permission from her fellow commissioners to negotiate a contract for that service, terming the non-agenda item an emergency, given the recent extreme weather.

After the official meeting adjourned, the commissioners met informally with Kara Dense, executive director of the county’s Convention and Visitors Bureau. Several members of the media and the public remained in the meeting room for that confab, as well.

Dense provided a fact sheet regarding the planned Greenbrier Valley Welcome and Interpretive Center to the commissioners and audience members. The sheet’s bottom line indicates the CVB still needs close to $1 million to complete the renovation of the former Yarid’s department store.

Dense asked to be placed on the agenda of the commission’s next meeting to discuss those funding needs.

In other business:

The commission entertained a funding request from High Rocks Academy to assist with utility costs at the organization’s new facility in Fairlea. The monthly total for utilities is $650, according to Meike Schleiff, a High Rocks staff member.

The commission voted unanimously to purchase a public address system for courthouse meetings at a cost of around $2,000.