Public safety chief praised for work building 911 center

Commissioners hired a Butler man to oversee construction of the new jail.
MERCER, Pa. -- The man who developed one of the state's most progressive emergency services systems has resigned.
Public Safety Director Jim Thompson submitted his resignation effective Aug. 8 to take a job with a private company in Pittsburgh. Mercer County commissioners accepted it with regret and praised Thompson for his many contributions to Mercer County.
Thompson started 12 years ago as director of the Emergency 911 Center. Later, he took on the added responsibilities of county emergency management and with them a new title, public safety director.
Praises
Commissioner Olivia Lazor commented that Thompson & quot;literally built the 911 center, & quot; and added, & quot;His shoes will be hard to fill. & quot;
Commissioner Gene Brenneman said that under Thompson's direction, Mercer has more advanced microwave communications technology than any other county in the state. Thompson obtained grants to buy the equipment to overcome communications problems caused by topography and the large number of phone systems serving the county.
Commissioner Kenneth Seamans, a former township supervisor, said Thompson made a big difference to municipalities and is highly regarded by local officials. Administrative Services Director Bill Boyle said Thompson is well known and respected throughout the commonwealth.
Thompson, who did not attend the meeting, indicated in his letter of resignation that he will help in any way needed to choose a successor, and noted that he has arranged with his new employer, L. Robert Kimball and Associates, a Pittsburgh engineering firm, to be available to the county if he is needed to follow through on any projects already in the works. He will continue to live in Grove City.
Commissioners will advertise for a replacement for Thompson.
Jail project
In other personnel news Thursday, Commissioners hired William Barbary of Butler to oversee construction of the new county jail. As clerk of works/site supervisor, he will work up to 35 hours per week at $35 per hour with no benefits. He starts July 28.
Barbary is plumbing and HVAC foreman for the Mercer County Courthouse Restoration project and has 30 years' experience in construction.
He has worked as a plumber and pipefitter foreman for A & amp;B Mechanics Inc., New Castle. In this capacity, he has served as foreman for construction of six schools, six colleges, four hospitals, three county homes, two municipal buildings and the remodeling of high-rise public housing in three counties. He has extensive other experience including serving as general foreman for installation of reactor piping at the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station No. 1 in 1980. He is a U.S. Army veteran and served in Vietnam.
In other business, commissioners accepted two grants from the Department of Community and Economic Development. One is for $20,633 for a Southwest Economic Development Corp. project to rehabilitate two to four homes in Southwest Gardens in Farrell.
The other is for $62,312 for a project of the Community Action Partnership of Mercer County Inc. to construct three new homes and four rental units in Sharon and Farrell. The housing comes under the Mercer County Brownfields for Housing Initiative Program and will be administered by the county planning commission.