The Calhoun County Commission met for their August meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, August 12th, 2024. The meeting opened on the courthouse steps with the auction of the Country Lane Property purchased for the Animal Shelter which ended up not being suitable. Timothy Sampson was the only bidder at the minimum of $75,000.
The meeting reconvened in the Little Courtroom shortly after 9 a.m. with two commissioner’s present, Craig Arthur and Kevin Helmick. Commissioner Roger Propst was attending a required training.
Madison Harris of the Mid Ohio Valley Regional Council presented a $3,000 invoice for Thrasher Engineering who have been working on the Calhoun County Park Bath House project.
Local resident Jennifer Studer addressed the Commission regarding the Animal Shelter and expenses incurred by those who foster animals in the county when there are issues with strays, abandoned and abused animals. Ms. Studer owned a pet store when she resided in the State of Ohio. After moving to Calhoun County, she became aware of the cat and dog problems in the area. Her heart for animals was evident when she described finding five abandoned puppies that had parvo. Rather than euthanize the dogs, she spent $1,000 each on four of the puppies for a new treatment. One puppy died on her way to the vet.
Ms. Studer informed the commission that when a community gets a large dog population they can start breeding with coyotes. They’re called coydogs. They get into packs and can attack people and animals. Other issues are diseases like rabies, distemper and Parvo. Parvo stays in soil and other animals eat it and contract the disease. People don’t see the issues with strays until it impacts them. Those who are willing to help are over run. She believes that the number one step is temporary organized housing. “Big plans are great, but the problem is now and growing. Supplies are needed for those taking strays in such as Patty Laughlin.” She suggested that there be an organization that would help to get supplies for Ms. Laughlin and others. “This needs to be a community project,” she said. She has been in Calhoun County since October 2023.
Commissioner Helmick stated that the County is working on the animal shelter. He added that they’d told Patty Laughlin to submit invoices from the expenses she incurs with strays, but she had yet to do it. Ms. Laughlin appeared shortly thereafter at the meeting saying that she was just overwhelmed with the issue of strays. She receives 3-8 messages daily regarding animals need rescued. Often times from people demanding that she come to where they are and retrieve the animals that are strays, or even their own. She described times that the calls were threatening toward the animals if Ms. Laughlin didn’t come to get them. Yesterday a woman phone and threatened to shoot seven puppies if Patty didn’t come to get them. Last week she cared for 16 dogs, 13 cats and 3 pigs. She has fostered many at her own expense, even having to sell personal items to pay for costs of supplies or vet care.
Ms. Laughlin pleaded with the community for help. She recognized the help of Teresa Overton and Eric and Brandi Lupardus who had helped to foster as well as other locals who have helped to provide support through the purchase of supplies.
Commissioner Arthur noted that the property sold and that those funds would go toward hopefully solving the problem.
Hortz Motz asked the Commissioners what happened to the money collected from dog licensing fees. Mr. Helmick said that those funds were used for dogs attacking livestock. Very few who have lost livestock have turned them in for payment leaving $31,000 in that budget.
Mayor Robert Petrovsky of the Town of Grantsville requested that the Calhoun County Commission provide $57,650 for the purchase of a new excavator and trailer that according to him would be beneficial to the consolidation process with Mt. Zion and the Pleasant Hill PSD.
Commissioner Helmick said that the County had been taking care of the Pleasant Hill and Mt. Zion PSD and it made sense to take care of Grantsville because of the consolidation efforts.
The Mayor said that it would be available for the other two PSD’s. The motion was made by Commissioner Helmick and seconded by Commissioner Arthur. Motion passed without discussion.
If the Commission had bothered to discuss the matter, they would have discovered that both Mt. Zion and Pleasant Hill PSD’s own their own Excavators. They also failed to realize that The Mt. Zion and Pleasant Hill PSD’s are the responsibility of the County Commission, unlike the Town of Grantsville which is an entirely separate body of Government, not County responsibility.
To add insult to injury, the Mayor informed the Commission that the Town discovered they could have paid the payment on a new excavator for what they’d been paying a town employee for the rental and operation of his excavator.
Donnie Pitts, Calhoun County Park Board President advised the Commission that the bath house project, which has been planned for years was originally thought to cost approximately $200 thousand dollars. When the bids came in for the construction, they ranged from $585K to $644K. After much consideration it was determined that the funding would be returned if approved by the Commission and they would attempt to build the bath house at a later time. Mr. Pitts said the board felt very uncomfortable to ask the county to fund such an overpriced project. The board believes it can be locally done for closer to $100K to $150K. MOVRC will return with the final invoice for the end of the project and the County Commission will then return the grant opportunity.
Donnie also reported that the ball field grading is the current Park priority. It’s been a rough time to do dozer work because of the dry weather. This will put seeding off until fall because of the drought conditions and they’ll be planning to get the fencing and cage up for spring. The park applied and received Grants from the WVU Be Healthy funding that will provide new signage for the trails, two large maps at park entrance and barn, and historic signs and mile markers.
A $10K grant was also received for the 18 hole disc golf course but the funding will not be available until September. They’re hoping the course will open by October.
Sheriff Graham Knight reported that Home confinement numbers remain the same. Also reported was that all officers are now wearing body cameras that have proven very useful and easy to use.
Radios are being installed by Millers Communications in the new cruisers. Millers Communication is leading in the state for installation and offered a very reasonable price of $1,200 per car. Also on the Sheriff’s report was the need to replace the body armor of Deputy Hunt who has lost weight and is two sizes smaller than his current vest. The replacement, approved by the Commission, is $700 to be taken out of the Sheriff’s budget.
Sheriff Knight recently spoke with Civil Service Board member Hazel Lane who has made herself available for meetings, but Jacob McCumbers, would not meet out of concern for legalities. They are currently one member short of the required three member board. However, only a quorum in necessary and meetings could have been held. Meanwhile, Deputy Hannah Stephens has missed out on months of a pay raise because of the Civil Service Board’s failure to meet. The Civil Service board has not met within 1 year. Jean Simers, Clerk will contact Jacob and see if and when a meeting will be held. The County will be planning to appoint a new civil service board member as the WV Code Directs,
Shelia Burch spoke for the Little Kanawha Area Development Corp. suggesting that the Commission also speak with Wirt County over the their issues with an animal shelter. They BEI Zone continues to provide business services and welcomes the community to stop by.
A motion was made to accept the one bid made by Tim Sampson of 75K for the Mt. Zion property auctioned prior to the Commission meeting. Motion by Commissioner Helmick with a second by Craig Arthur, the motion passed. The $75,000 will be placed in a line item to be used for the Animal shelter and costs. All in favor
Calhoun FRN requested $26,949 from the opioid settlement fund to pay for substance abuse recovery, events and assistance. The matter was tabled until the committee is formed and able to meet making a recommendation to the commission.
WVU Extension Office Memorandum of Understanding and provision of $2K to pay for phone and programs was approved by the Commission.
A request for $500 for the Arnoldsburg Halloween Partyy was approved by the Commission for payment.
An Emergency voting policy was approved allowing absentee voting to be done by ya person unable to come to the polling locations due to sickness or hospital/nursing home confinement or other health issues. This will be in effect for the November 5th, 2024 election. Motion by Commissioner Helmick, Second by Commissioner Arthur, all in favor.
A county Administrator to be hired was continued for the next Commission meeting due to Commissioner Propsts absence.
Samantha Hicks was appointed to the Library Board.
