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WELLSBURG -- On Tuesday Brooke County Commissioners heard from representatives of local towing services after developing a proposed policy for those used for accidents investigated by the Brooke County Sheriff's Department.
The concerns included whether there can be too many towing services on the call-out list, whether all area wreckers are qualified to serve and whether they should be locally based.
A couple of business owners admitted they will lose revenue if other towing services are added to the call-out list.
Christina White, director of the county's emergency 911 center -- who was called for comment -- said in the past the list included a few local towing services, with each placed on call for a week at a time.
If circumstances, such as vacation or broken truck, led one wrecker to be unavailable, he usually "swapped" weeks with another on the list, she noted.
County Commissioner Stacey Wise said over the years the towing services used for accidents handled by the sheriff's department were determined by the sheriff or someone in his department.
She said after a few more towing services recently expressed interest in being on the list, the commission learned it was responsible for naming those on it.
Commission President Tim Ennis agreed, saying, "This was not something we asked for. It was handed to us."
County Commissioner A.J. Thomas said in response the board drew up a proposed policy, based on one used in Monongalia County and has requested input from White and Sheriff Larry Palmer.
Wise said representatives of the towing services are welcome to provide input, too.
The commissioners said a key requirement of the policy is that the towing services be approved by the state Public Service Commission.
To receive the state commission's approval, towing services and other haulers must document they are insured or bonded.
Scott Adams, chief Brooke County sheriff's deputy -- who was called for comment -- said there are other considerations, including whether a towing service can properly secure a vehicle involved in an investigation.
He said a vehicle may be impounded if it has been involved in an accident resulting in death or injury, if the accident was related to a crime and if drugs are believed to be present in it.
Adams said a towing service's ability to respond in a timely manner also is a concern.
"We don't want a deputy sitting on an accident for two hours," he said.
Citing such reasons, the owner of a towing business questioned whether a towing service outside the county should be eligible for the list.
Resident Mary Blum told the commission she doesn't want to pay for her vehicle to be towed outside the county.
Wise said in most cases, and especially when an accident isn't under investigation by law enforcement, the owner of a damaged vehicle may have it towed by whatever business he or she chooses.
William DeGarmo and Logan Field, owners of Route 67 Towing, were among businesses represented at the meeting.
They said they believe they have been kept off the call-out list for political reasons.
Asked about the matter, Adams said he believes the business needed to meet some criteria to be included and were working toward that.
In other business, the commission reorganized for the new year, naming Ennis president and Thomas president pro-tem.
The three commissioners also were appointed to the following boards:
¯ Ennis to the emergency medical services, museum, library and community corrections boards and the county's planning commission.
¯ Thomas to the health board, Brooke County Committee on Aging, Brooke Hills Park board, Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission and the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle.
¯ Wise to the Brooke County West Virginia University Extension committee, Northern Panhandle Workforce Investment Board, the county's economic development authority, the Northern Panhandle HOME Consortium and the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau board.
All three will serve on the county's local emergency planning commission.
(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)