Published: November 13, 2008 02:08 am      

County commission awards contract for aerial photography

FAIRMONT — A contract to perform aerial photography for the county was awarded during the commission meeting here Wednesday morning.

The aerial photography will be used to create maps of the county, which can then be used for economic development and to help emergency responders, said Jim Priester, Marion County assessor.

Priester pointed out that when the entire project is completed, the aerial photography will be used to make maps of the entire county. The maps will contain information such as where utilities are located and the elevation of certain areas.

“A lot of people will be able to utilize this,” Priester said. “Not just locally, but on a state level.”

Priester added that all of this information will eventually be available to the public on the Internet. He said that the commissioners had charged a committee with the responsibility of exploring the project about a year ago. He added that he wanted to commend the commissioners for sticking with the project.

The aerial photography contract was awarded to GRW Inc., a company based in Lexington, Ky. As of yet, a price tag has not been placed on the project, Priester said.

He added that the committee members dealing with the project have not yet decided exactly what they want. However, he noted that the price tag for the project will run somewhere in the range of $240,000. He added that the commission will fund the “lion’s share,” of the project, but the county assessor will also provide funds.

“This will be vitally important for the county,” said Commission President Alan Parks. “It will be a big economic tool.”

The aerial photography will not take place until March of next year when all of the leaves are off the trees and the snow has melted, Priester said. He added that the entire project should be completed by the end of 2010.

The commissioners also voted to help fund a black history celebration which will be held in February, which is Black History Month. The commissioners voted to provide $250 to a community group dubbed CDL to help fund the celebration. The commissioners will provide the funding by paying invoices up to the amount specified.

The commissioners also voted to provide $10,000 to the Mannington Sanitary Board to help fund an inflow and infiltration study.

The county commission will also provide $5,000 to the Fairmont Community Development Partnership for Operation Image to buy two welcome-to-the-county signs. The money will come from the county’s hotel/motel tax fund.

E-mail Paul Fallon at pfallon@timeswv.com.