Dora Myers fundraiser set for Sunday

The Lawrence County commissioners learned that December was a busy month for EMS.

In a monthly report submitted by Lawrence County EMS finance administrator Kathy Bamer, they found out the total number of runs in December was 1,072. That brought the total runs for 2024 to 12,622 or more than 34 runs a day. 

“I know it’s been a busy year and I know that we are getting up to our full staff,” said Commissioner Dr. Colton Copley, who sees the EMT’s work first hand as an ER doctor. “We appreciate all that hard work… I appreciate the quality and the knowledge base of paramedics and EMTs.”

Among the EMT staff changes were David Peer going from full-time EMT to full-time advanced EMT and the hiring of two new part-time EMTs, Tyler Nelson and Courtney Foster.

County Clerk Mike Patterson spoke, but rather than give a department update talked about a fundraiser on Sunday at Symmes Valley Elementary School for Dora Myers.

Patterson said that Myers, who has been fighting cancer and is well known in the community for having fundraisers to help other people, found herself in need recently after she was transported to a Charleston, West Virginia hospital. Doctors found she had flesh eating disease and had to amputate her left leg up to the hip. She is still at the hospital undergoing further treatment.

“It is going to be from 12-4:30 p.m. They are going to have food and then they are having a raffle,” Patterson said. “She has done a lot for people.”
“She’s done lots and lots for lots of people,” added Commissioner Mike Finley. 

“Sometimes we just have to give back and that’s the people we like to help,” Patterson said. “She is always thinking of someone else.”

County Treasurer Tresa Baker said tax bills should be in property owner’s mailboxes soon and the office now has a QR code on the tax form so people can scan it and then pay online.

“I think it is going to be better for folks,” Baker said. 

The due date is March 7.

In other items on the agenda, the commissioners took the following actions: 

• Approved and signed the AFSCME Local 890 collective Bargaining Contract from Jan. 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2027.

• Approved the extension of dog tag sales until Feb. 28, requested by Denise Paulus, dog warden.

• Approved and signed the contract for prisoner housing between the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and Monroe County Jail, at a rate of $75 per day for each person incarcerated in the Monroe County Jail.

• Reappointed the following members to the Lawrence County Port Authority:

Aaron Heighton, DeAnna Holliday and Jeff Eastham.

• Approved the following personnel changes for Lawrence County Department of Jobs and Family Services to hire Shanna Gaskin as Social Services supervisor, beginning March 3.

• Received and filed the correspondence from Patrick Leighty, county engineer, regarding Township Road 245E obstruction.

• Approved the following floodplain permits submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District: New: Lawrence County Commissioners, debris removal from boat launches and stream maintenance projects county-wide. Renewals: Bob Taylor, filling and grading project at 19750 State Route 141; Bob Taylor, residential repair project at 19750 State Route 141; Bob Taylor, log house restoration project at 19726 State Route 141; Bob Taylor, stream maintenance project at 19544 State Route 141 and 19750 State Route 141; Tom Schneider, stream maintenance and subsurface drainage projects on County Road 8; Tom Schneider, stream maintenance and subsurface drainage projects at 3566 State Route 378 and 3321 State Route 378; Thomas Schneider, surface drainage project to the right and behind 887 State Route 378; Eric Morris, stream maintenance project at 11 State Route 217; Steve Heffner, filling and grading, materials storage, scales and accessory structure projects at 3670 State Route 7; and Rick Eplion Paving, Inc., filling and grading project at 7159 County Road 107.

• Approved the Chesapeake Bypass-Lawrence County tree payment in the amount of $1,300 for parcel number 23-044-0800.002

• Met in executive session with Dylan Bentley, Brian Crosier, Bill Nenni, and Mark Christian regarding legal contracts and real estate.

• Met in executive session with Dylan Bentley and David Hamm regarding personnel, hire, fire and reprimand.