The Calhoun County Commission met Monday, November 24th, 2025 for a regular November meeting. Following the opening of the meeting by prayer, Commission President Craig Arthur invited Calhoun Middle High School Students to lead the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
The students were in attendance to be recognized for their outstanding community achievements by the Calhoun Middle High School Band, Calhoun Middle School Cross Country Team and the Calhoun High School Cross Country Team. Each group were given certificates of that recognition.
Under new business was the Consideration of Calhoun’s election policy which is standard procedure by the Office of the Secretary of State every other year. The three policies for considerations were Emergency Absentee Voting for hospital and nursing home patients; The Voter’s registration list which can be purchased for a penny for each voter name on the list and the final consideration was the Electronic Voting System Security. Calhoun County Clerk Jean Simers informed the Commission that the voting system was locked in a room on the bottom floor of the Courthouse for which only one key was available for access and it was kept in her office.
The Commission approved all three policies.
Rick Poling, Administrator of the Calhoun County Committee on Aging, addressed the Commission regarding Calhoun’s Economic Development, offering suggestions as to their efforts in recruiting businesses and people to move into the area. He stated that we are becoming increasingly a nation of older folks, and wanted them to reconsider how they looked toward recruiting people to move into the area.
“If you look at a map with high risks in weather or highly populated areas, it leaves you with West Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee and a few others as potential living areas. We are the top level of cost of living and affordable housing (for which we are number one in the United States.) West Virginia also ranks in the lowest of crime. With our four equal seasons West Virginia is a great climate for consideration,” Mr. Poling said. In a recent article read by Mr. Poling he stated that 1 in 3 Floridians were looking to leave Florida, making them a target of consideration for a marketing campaign for our area. He added that “We’re the lowest in severe weather alerts in the country. There are very few rural counties that have a hospital health system and Calhoun is one of them. The quick response for medical services and transport ability is a great asset for us. Low property taxes is also an incentive for people considering the move to West Virginia. He recommended that the Commission put some of their efforts into marketing Calhoun with these ideas in mind.
Commissioner Eric Lupardus stated that he was not sure of the status of the Calhoun Chamber of Commerce, but The Phoenix team and Glenville State University had housing studies that stated 25-30 homes a year could be built in Calhoun. They also believe that an added senior living community would encourage economic growth, believing that Calhoun should use money from the rainy day fund to invest in marketing the community,
Both Commissioners Arthur and Rush also believed the effort needed consideration and that Calhoun does not market themselves enough.
Also under County Economic Development was the consideration of the LKADC – annual agreement. Commissioner Lupardus questioned LKADC Director Shelia Burch as to what steps she had taken in the matters of Economic growth.
Mrs. Burch stated that she had worked with multiple State and Business agencies to improve opportunities in Calhoun but due to the infrastructure, developers would not come to the properties in Calhoun. She also had set up meetings with utility companies such as Hope, First Energy and Mountaineer Gas to determine what we have and what we need.
Commissioner Lupardus also asked how LKADC encouraged land owners in the area to consider their property for potential economic growth.
Mrs. Burch replied that “Until it becomes
on the market we (LKADC) has to allow them to make their own decisions regarding their own land.
The Commission approved unanimously the the Resolution designating the Little Kanawha Area Development Corporation as the local Economic Development Corporation.
Relatively new Calhoun resident, Adam Mills, spoke to the Commission regarding his own research stating that he had come across businesses looking for property. “However the average median income and education is very low in Calhoun County. Not because they’re not educated but they leave once there educated.” According to Mr. Mills the companies could not get any cooperation from The power company, First Energy. West Virginia comes up on the map as available because people can’t make money, can’t get cooperation from the municipalities and utilities.
Creston resident, Alvin Engelke told the Commission that First Energy is into pixie dust and windmills to make things go. He stated “There has been lots of talk about data centers and associated power plants to provide electric for the same. At the mouth of Katy’s Run is the Fairfax land that has substantial flat ground, sufficient for a cluster of data centers as well as a gas powered electric generating facility. It is agreed that the present power grid in the area could not supply power to data centers so a new source is needed. The local area is underlaid with the Marcellus & Utica shales both of which produce copious amounts of natural gas. Locally the Utica shale is 1,100 feet thick so wells could be drilled in Calhoun and surrounding counties to supply the fuel for the power plant for the data centers. This would be using local resources to power a facility in the area that would generate needed local taxes as well as provide many high paying jobs, jobs drilling & producing the wells, pipelining jobs, power plant jobs and jobs related directly with the data center(s). I am told by a man who is involved with security with existing facilities in Virginia that the security operations require highly trained individuals.”
An interesting piece of history from Mr. Engelke is that according to his knowledge “The last time Calhoun had any help from any one in the legislature was when Albert G. Matthew’s was in the West Virginia Senate in the 1930’s.
Under consideration of funding the Commission unanimously approved matching the funds of the Calhoun O&M Committee of up to $1,000 for an ADA Compliant restroom to be installed in the new joint water company office located in the Industrial park.
The O&M Committee will hold their next meeting December 8th at 6 p.m. in the commission room at the Courthouse.
Also under consideration of funding was the consideration of a request from Catholic Charities of West Virginia, who asked for $4,000 to provide food in the West Fork area with a distribution point of the Upper West Fork Park.
The application stated that the funding was:
“needed to meet the needs of people experiencing food and income insecurity in rural communities, CCWVa established its Mobile Food Pantry program, an outreach vehicle stocked with food travels to communities for monthly distributions. Between 11/1/2024 and 10/31/2025, 133 unique households composed of 222 people visited the Calhoun County location. With the government shutdown and delayed SNAP benefits, CCWVa anticipates the number of people who need food assistance will increase dramatically. CCWVa has seen two to three times the number of people in need of food at some of our other pantry locations statewide so far this month. Our November distribution has not yet occurred in Calhoun County. Awarded funds will be utilized to purchase and provide food to Calhoun County households during a Mobile Food Pantry distribution.”
The Commission approved the $4,000 in funding unanimously.
Commissioner Lupardus reported that the The Christmas Committee has declared the pine tree near the flagpole on the courthouse lawn the official county tree. It will be officially lit on Saturday, November 29th, at 6:00 PM. The Annual Calhoun County Christmas Event with a theme for this year of “A Vintage Christmas,” will be held on Friday, December 5th, with the parade starting at 6:00 PM. Please contact Judy Brannon for more information about the events. The Christmas Committee is made up of community volunteers and town council members, and decorations are stored on county property.
A Grant Project was received from the office of Governor Patrick Morrisey who has launched the America250 Mural Project — a statewide initiative designed to celebrate West Virginia’s rich and local national heritage through hand-painted murals. As part of President Trump’s year-long tribute to our nation’s founding, West Virginia proudly becomes the first state in the country to create a statewide America’s 250th mural trail by providing funding to each of its counties for this historic project. In honor of this important milestone, we’re inviting the creativity of incredible artists and community members to help bring the story of the Mountain State to life with a mural that will be on display for years to come. To support this exciting project, we’re thrilled to award your county a $5,000 grant to help cover the costs of materials and the artist. The project must be complete by April 1, 2026. The Commission voted unanimously in favor of the project and appointed the following people to the committee:
- Shari johnson
- Dakota laughlin
- Kathy Nichols
- Kimberly Mills
- Donna Schoolcraft
And additional grant was approved for application to apply for $300,000 in a 50% matching funding opportunity to construct a bath house at the Calhoun County Park. The grant funding is a federal Land and Water Conservation Grant which will be have the application completed by December 5th, 2025.
County Administrator, Jennifer Randolph updated the Commission on the search for funding for an Elevator for the Courthouse. The Grant application submitted was denied. Commissioner Lupardus said that they would continue to look for funding. He noted that it was reported that a county elected official had sent a letter in opposition the project. We need an elevator because it would help everyone in our community. And we should apply as soon as we can.”
Commissioner Lee Rush agreed saying that “we need to see it through. The citizens need that elevator.”
Commissioner Rush reported that the Calhoun County Park continues to work on the trails in hopes of hosting a bike race in June of 2026. Volunteers to help clear the trails would be much appreciated. They’re in hopes of getting the trails adopted for keeping them clear in the future.
Resident Kimberly Mills suggested a horse trail be considered at the park for which Donnie Pitts, Park Board President was having it placed on the Park Board meeting agenda. The board meets the 1st Thursday of the month.
The Calhoun County Park Christmas light show will run from December 6th through January 1st, 2026. The Light show has been expanded and will have Christmas music through December 25 and Modern music from the 26th through January 1st.
Commissioner Rush also attended and reported on the Mid Ohio Valley Health Department Board meeting. He stated that LKADC Director Shelia Burch has agreed to take a pay decrease to help support her young assistant Kendra Davis with a pay increase. Mrs. Burch stated that she did it in support. Added members to the LKADC board were Jennifer Struder and Jessica Metz will be added to the next agenda for approval to be added to the LKADC board.
The Commission approved a resignation for Jenna Jett who resigned from the 911 advisory committee and the resignation of Jason Firestine from the Mt. Zion PSD, request was approved. The Commission agreed that Jason was a great asset to the Mt. Zion PSD in helping to flush the hydrants and giving a detailed report of those in working and non working condition.
Thank you Eric for the kind words and continued prayers. Thank You to the Commission for the opportunity to assist and Thank You to the Mount Zion PSD board members, staff and customers for accepting my assistance for the few months I was involved with the PSD. The lord has a different plan for me for now, but I am not leaving forever and look forward to assisting again down the road when possible. I do hope my short time assisting has helped with some issues that needed to be addressed and brought to the light and I hope a great, local resident steps up to fill my board position that wants to be involved with making their water system better for themselves and for its customers. I have been vocal for years about getting involved with your local water system and not losing control of it. It is a critical part of life and needs to have competent people involved with keeping it clean for the neighborhood. Get involved. Ask questions and step up. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.