Calhoun Commissioners met Monday evening at 4 p.m. for their regularly scheduled January meeting, welcoming newly appointed Clerk, Whitney Butler. The Commissioners thanked her for accepting the position, allowing the County Clerk’s office to be reopened after having been closed due to no clerk following the resignation of Jean Simers.
Commission President Eric Lupardus, Commissioners Craig Arthur and Lee Rush and County Administrator Jennifer Randolph were in attendance.
The Commissioners discussed the America 250 mural project, and the reporting by Committee member Donna Schoolcraft, that the they were unable to find a building owner willing to allow a mural painting to be done on their property. Two options now being considered are the Calhoun County Park Barn and the backside of the Calhoun Courthouse, both needing Organization approval. Commissioner Lee Rush agreed to speak with the Calhoun County Park board to see if the barn location would be possible.
County Administrator Randolph requested that the county Commission comprise a new parking lot assignment, which has not been updated since 1988. The Commission agreed that the lot will be reassigned with Elected staff being first to select (or keep) their current assignment, Police officers will choose second, and employees will select third by seniority. The parking spots around the courthouse annex will be reserved for the County Commission who are now in that office on a regular basis.
The recent contract under consideration with Roane County Emergency Squad serving Calhoun returned to the agenda for closure. The Commissioners voted unanimously to sign the contract allowing Minnie Hamilton to give up the Ambulance Service which will now be managed by Roane County EMS. Commission President Lupardus was pleased with the arrangement stating that Minnie Hamilton and Roane has worked from day one to insure the safety of the County’s citizens. Calhoun will have two 24 hour ambulance, one located at the Minnie Hamilton Clinic in Arnoldsburg, and the other located at Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center in Grantsville, for dispatch from those locations. So far as the levy funding, it can only be used for Calhoun, so it will be placed in a separate fund by Roane County for the payment of Calhoun staff and expenses. This agreement added an extra ambulance and an extra full time crew. Commissioner Arthur stated that there was really no choice but to enter into the contract, when Minnie Hamilton decided to stop providing ambulance service. The matter was not put out for bid because the Attorney General gave permission to accept the Roane offer because this was a critical service that could not be delayed.
Calhoun County Assessor Jason Nettles requested and received the approval of the Commission to extend the deadline for keying personal property until February 25th, 2026,
Under Commission Reports, Commissioner Lee Rush reported that the Calhoun County Park had made $815.00 in proceeds from the Christmas light viewing project. He also shared that the trail system has been completed under the direction of Erin Springston and will be opened for the Mountain Bike Race and hikers to use the trails.
Calhoun County Park Events now being planned or scheduled for the 2026 year is
- Appalachian Classic Bike Race
- Installation of Starlink Internet for park attendees
- Astronomy Outreach
- Waypoint Zero – Opening 6/6/26
- Oshoway Memorial Egg Hunt
- April Fools Bluegrass Event – 4/11/26
- WVSSA Star party – 5/15-17/26
- Eastern Star Car Show – 5/16/26
- Search and Rescue Traning – 5/20/26
- Kite Festival
The opening of Waypoint Zero will be the weekend of the Calhoun County Wood Festival but the park is working with the Calhoun Wood Festival Committee so that all events can be attended.
Next Calhoun County Park meeting will be February 5th, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Sheriff Graham Knight reported that the Civil Service Exam was given to six applicants, (20 had applied to take it, but sickness prevented several from attending.) Two were existing officers and 4 of those testing where non certified. Both the written and agility tests were given, with Sheriff Knight noting that the weather was no deterrent to those testing.
According to the Calhoun 911 report, the Calhoun Sheriff’s office had a reported 1246 calls taken by the Sheriff with 25 of those being mental health calls requiring typically eight hours of the Officer’s time for processing.
An new X-ray machine will be installed in the Courthouse for security. Sheriff Knight requests that the public have patience as the new process may take a little longer to access the courthouse offices. Because of this it was necessary for the Isaiah Wilson to be moved to a full time position for the Sheriff’s Department to operate the X-Ray machine.
New Board appointments were made to both the Mt. Zion PSD Board of Jess Metz and the Pleasant Hill PSD of Craig Hickman. Cindy Boggs. And Sandra Marks were appointed to the Calhoun Animal Shelter Board, for which Commissioner Lupardus made mention of their contribution of property for the Animal Shelter and what an asset both would be to the Animal Shelter project.
A request by Calhoun Commission Administrator Jennifer Randolph and Sheriff Graham Knight was made for the Grant application for a Records Management staff person. The Grant would provide $15,000, 470 hours of destroying and digitizing records that are currently taking up a considerable amount of storage space in the Courthouse. The request to apply was approved.
On the Agenda under Budget Review, Budget verses Actual, The Commission entered into Executive Session for the purpose of conducting a charge or grievance against a public officer or employee. They returned stating that no action was taken during the executive session time. However Commission President Eric Lupardus made a motion to contact the State of West Virginia’s Auditor’s Office to request a Financial audit, which was unanimously approved by all Commissioners.
