,NORTHERN PRESTON AREA WATCHNPAW

Bruceton Mills, WV26525

Meeting Description NPAW Monthly Community Meeting

Results Desired Discuss issues affecting our Crime Watch Areas

Date _October 27, 2011______Time 7:00PM Location North Preston Senior Center

Scheduled Time / Actual Time
Start / Start / Stop
7:00p.m. / 7:00 p.m. / 8:35p.m.
Officers Present: / Guests of Note:
President: Kenny Chidester / Mel Snyder, Prosecuting Attorney
Secretary: Frances Sines / Vicki Cole, County Commissioner
Treasurer: Jeanie Walsh
Parliamentarian: Bob Walsh
Parliamentarian: Bob Walsh
MEETING NOTES
The October 27, 2011, meeting was held at the North Preston Senior Center at 7:00 P.M.
President Chidester called the meeting to order. Prayer was given by Rev. Barry Adkins. Everyone recited the Pledge of
Allegiance.
President Chidester introduced Mel Snyder, the speaker for the evening.
Announcements: The Support the Troops rally will be held on December 3, 2011 at Valley Point beginning at 7:00 PM.
Saturday, October 29, 2011 is the DEA’s Take Back Drugs day from 10 AM – 2 PM at the North Preston Senior Center.
The Nov/Dec meeting for the NPAW Group will be on December 1, 2011. The election of new officers will take place at this
time.
Trick or Treating will be in Bruceton on Monday, October 31, 2011 from 6 PM – 7 PM.
The minutes of the September meeting were read. Motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes as read.
Motion carried.
Jeanie gave the Treasurer’s Report. The balance remains at $968.81. There was no activity in the past month. Motion was
made and seconded to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Motion carried.
Old Business: Bob Walsh asked if the group wanted to purchase 5-6 more signs to put in the area. No one indicated they
needed a sign in their area. President Chidester passed around the Zone Maps and asked the folks to mark where there were
currently signs. Jeanie had many of the signs already marked on the maps.
President Chidester said Denny Hannold, the Vice President, sent a message that he would no longer be serving in this
position nor would he be participating in future meetings because of health problems.
Bob Spangler, President of the North Preston Senior Center, said the carpet needed to be replaced at the Center and he had
to postpone the installation today because of our meeting. The next scheduled time to replace the carpet is December 1.
He wanted to know if we could re-schedule our meeting. President Chidester asked him to see if they could change the date
In December, if they could not, then we would change our meeting date. Mr. Spangler will let Jeanie or Kenny know.
Bob Walsh said he would like to get some younger folks involved in our meetings. Also Zone Captains or Chairmen need to be
assigned.
Nomination of Officers for 2012 was held: Jim Boring was nominated as President but was not in attendance. No one knew for
sure if he would take the office. Since the attendance was low this evening, motion was made, seconded and approved to hold
the nominations for new officers until the next meeting.
Vicki Cole said even with our low attendance this evening, our group has more attendees than most area neighborhood watch
groups. President Chidester said he is trying to get someone from the prison in Hazelton to be the speaker at our next meeting.
President Chidester introduced Mel Snyder. Prosecuting Attorney Snyder gave an update on the All Good Festival. His office
is still working on the 72 felony cases and 300-400 misdemeanors--25 of the felonies have been resolved by plea bargaining,
10 felonies have been indicted by the grand jury, and 25-30 felonies are still hanging. There were7 forfeiture cases. These
cases were down because folks were wiring the money elsewhere every day so they didn’t have a great deal of money when
they were arrested. He was pretty confident that the festival would not be taking place in Preston County next year although
there is still a contract for next year. Prosecutor Snyder then went over his Legislative Agenda. He passed around an outline
of issues and concerns. His big issue is the equal jury strikes. He would still like to see that get out of committee and passed.
He will send out a form letter for folks to send to their representatives so some issues can be passed. The Criminal Code is
very old and needs to be updated. He would like to see forfeitures for crimes other than just drug crimes. This could be a
deterrent for the criminal. He discussed the overcrowding in the jails and prisons and indicated the state is not wanting to build
more jails or prisons, so some criminals will be released back in society. Also the Civil Service System is very old and needs to
be updated. The age limit for deputy sheriff’s needs to be raised so some prior service officers could be hired. These officers
are already trained. The police labs also need to be updated. He expressed a concern for getting some of the issues updated
because of the increasing crime and killings taking place in Mon County and surrounding areas. Sooner or later it will happen in
our county and we need updated laws to handle the problems. He will get a letter to Jeanie to put on the web site and urged
folks to contact their representatives to try and get some legislative issues passed.
Bob Spangler will contact Jeanie or Kenny regarding the meeting date for December.
Bob Walsh thanked President Chidester for the job he has done while being our President.
Vicki Cole said Duane Hamilton, the OEM director, would be a good person to have for a speaker at a future meeting.
December meeting will be the nomination and election of officers for 2012. If the meeting has to be changed, it will be posted
on our web site and in the local newspapers.
President Chidester made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Motion was seconded. Motion carried. Meeting was
adjourned at 8:35 PM.
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