NEW CUMBERLAND — With the holidays fast approaching, the Hancock County Commission has agreed to help with a local program helping children have a memorable Christmas.

During Thursday’s meeting, the commission agreed to make a $2,500 donation to the Hancock County Deputy Sheriff’s Association for its Shop with a Cop program, which is now in its 30th year. The Shop with a Cop day is schedule for Dec. 17 at the Walmart in Weirton.

Patrick Hoder, chairman of the deputy sheriff’s association, submitted the request to the commission and discussed the importance of the program.

He said that over 500 children participated last year, and over 8,650 children have been served overall, done through donations made by the public and organizations, which as of late has started to dwindle.

“We’re basically funded by donations,” Hoder said. “Over the course of the years, those donations have slowly worked their way down whether it be people having problems, or the program itself.”

Hoder said that about 120 children have been signed up this year, but they are still short of their $10,000 goal.

“Normally we’re pretty good with our funds around this time in the amount of upwards of $10,000 or better,” Hoder said. “We’re very short right now. We’ve upwards of $7,600, still climbing of course.”

Commissioner Jeff Davis commended Hoder and the sheriff’s association’s efforts on the program, and — noting that the commission has not previously donated towards this program — made the motion to go ahead with a $2,500 donation, contingent upon review from the prosecutor’s office.

Meanwhile, the commission approved the receipt and release agreement with the Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle, which was related to the BDC’s purchase of the former TS&T Pottery site from six years earlier.

The commission in 2011 approved the BDC’s request for a $500,000 loan for the purchase and development of real property on that site, and the agreement states that the BDC will repay the loan back to the commission.

In other business:

• The commission approved a salary adjustment for Miranda Keeder, a full-time dispatcher with the 911/Office of Emergency Management center, who will receive a base rate of $15 per hour effective Dec. 1. Keeder, who is fully certified, previously was a full-time employee who had switched to part-time status but was promoted back to full-time this past September.

• The commission approved the general county bills for this meeting, which came to $57,908.17, with P-card payments amounted to $44,650.72. Altogether, expenses for the month of November amounted to $867,107.80.

The next meeting is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Dec. 21 at the commission meeting room at the Hancock County Courthouse.

(Rappach can be contacted at srappach@reviewonline.com)