Questionable Boundaries between Commission and City Council Raises Questions

The Calhoun County Commission met September 9th, 2024 for their regularly scheduled meeting with all three Commissioners present: President Craig Arthur, Kevin Helmick and Roger Propst. 

First to speak under delegations was Madison Harris of the Mid Ohio Valley Regional Council (MOVRC), who read a draft proposal of a letter written on behalf of the Calhoun County Commission for the cancellation of CDBG project. The project funds in the amount of $450,000 were returned due to the Calhoun Park Board believing the project was no longer viable with the material and labor cost increase of over $500,000 from contractors meeting the prevailing wage requirements of various laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division. Ms. Harris also requested a final payment on that project for the administration hours of MOVRC in the amount of $389.22. Her closing comments were related to area FEMA projects that will soon be bid out, and the receiving of a $2.5 Million Dollar grant by the Mt. Zion Public Service District. 

Local citizen Pauline Ferrell requested to know if the County had received the receipts for the Excavator and trailer purchased by the City of Grantsville with County funds in the amount of $57,650  as well as the receipts for the funding to cover their bills in the amount of $39,120.60 that was given to the City of Grantsville in April. Clerk Jean Simers responded that all receipts were received for the amount given. Mrs. Ferrell additionally requested information from the Commission regarding how many absentee ballots have been requested for which Clerk Simers answered that about 30 applications had been received and will be mailed on September 20th, 2024. After the concerns of the legality of the 2020 election, Mrs. Ferrell asked that the procedures for gathering mail in ballots, nursing home and hospital ballots, etc. as well as what happens to those ballots when they are returned before the election date into the office of the County Clerk. 

Mrs. Simers explained that the ballots, which are signed on the back of the envelope by the voter, are addressed to her office on the front of the very large envelope. When the ballots are received the voter signatures are checked to make sure they match what is on file and then are placed into a locked box until Election Day when the Republican and Democratic Ballot Commissioners remove them to be added to the vote count.  Simers stated that on average Calhoun sends out about 100 ballots and receives 95 or so back. The unreceived ballots must be reconciled to insure security. 

Local resident Horst Motz asked the Commission if the newly passed 60% water rate increase would be effecting the Pleasant Hill and Mt. Zion PSD’s. He stated that he feels that the rate seemed quite high and wondered if it would effect his own water bill.   Ari White, Mt. Zion PSD Board President answered the question, stating that Mt. Zion PSD and the Pleasant Hill PSD had determined that they would absorb the increase of $1.00 per thousand gallons that the Grantsville 20% rate increase for bulk water sales would add to their costs, 

County Resident and business owner Crystal Mersh asked the Commission if there was a plan in place as had been spoken earlier to have an external expert in place to oversee the consolidation. Commissioner Arthur responded saying that it is being overseen by the WV PSC and the three consolidating entities of Grantsville, Mt. Zion and Pleasant Hill. “James Rymer of the WVPSC is guiding what step we take” Arthur explained, with the PSD’s being tasked with the accounting of what the operations are.

Commissioner Propst stated that the 60% increase which passed on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024 at the Grantsville to Town council Meeting, would be used for equipment and that there should be a water manager overseeing the expenditures. Emily Collins, Town council member said that they would be looking into it. 

Commissioner Propst continued by expressing his concern with who would be in charge of  hiring the Water Manager, believing it to be the Mayor and council due to the consolidation being 2-4 years in the future. Propst said that he believe the hiring of that manager was going to be key to the whole thing. 

Mt. Zion PSD President Ari white informed the commission that the Town and PSD’s were close to an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) agreement at which time they would determine the manager position. 

Propst stated that at the time of consolidation the Calhoun County Commission would then act to hire a Water Board manager at the recommendation of the consolidated agencies. 

Under reports Kelli Barr, OES director sent a report stating that the number of calls received by agencies were as follows: Arnoldsburg VFD – 5, WV DNR – 3, Calhoun 911 – 66, Calhoun Sheriiff – 123, Grantsville VFD – 12, Minnie Hamilton Ambulance 96, Upper West Fork VFD – 3 and the WV State Police – 91. 

Emily Collins, representing the Grantsville Lions Club provided pictures of the repairs made of the Lions Club building by $10 Thousand dollars of Calhoun County funds. The Commissioners were pleased with the results. 

Jason Wilson, Director of the Minnie Hamilton Ambulance Service reported the number of Ambulance activity as: ALS transports – 15, BLS transports – 28, Cancelled Enroute – 5, DOA – 1, Refusals 21, Treated and Transferred to Aeromedical – 1, Treated and refused – 0, Standby – 4. He further explained that the high number of refusals was due to an individual abusing the 911 call center which was handled by Sheriff Graham Knight. 

Wilson informed the Commission that ambulance replacement is under consideration. The time frame is a 1-2 year wait for a new ambulance, and a rebuild/remount ambulance is a 24-48 month wait. Minnie Hamilton is looking at the option of a lease.  Replacing the ambulance in either the rebuild or new options come at a cost of $200- 300 thousand dollars per ambulance. 

Donnie Pitts, Calhoun County Park Board president reported that there had been a considerable amount of activity on the Calhoun County Park improvements. They’ve recently finished the grading for the ball field and will begin prepping it for seeding and mulch with fencing being done in the spring to allow the grass time to grow. 

The east star gazing field shelter, bathroom and laundry are now complete except for the need of siding. The stargazers are utilizing the park this week with the clear weather. A new gate opener has been installed but the need for electric installation is still pending for the gate and new digital sign provided by Minnie Hamilton. 

The disc golf course has been laid out and is now ready for construction. The funding for that project is due to come in this this week and everyone is excited about the play that will occur at the park. 

New park trail signs are up on the kiosk for the  3.2 mile of trail.  Three historical signs will be going up, one of which will be for the Stull family who were an integral part of the working farm that was once there. A  sign of tribute will go up for their family. 

Mr. Pitts reported that Barn work still needs done but they’ll be getting back on the barn roof the latter part of this week for more roofing. 

A statement of gratitude was given to Minnie Hamilton Staff who  painted the picnic shelters which now have the new concrete tables installed

Tina Hamrick, Director of the Calhoun FRN reported to the Commission that September is Recovery month and “Save a Life” Day. The day will be celebrated on September 19th with several vendors setting up in Grantsville. The Drug Take Back Day will also be done at the same time when residents can properly dispose of medications at the event.

Mrs. Hamrick asked the residents of calhoun to be patient with the traffic on Thursday, September 12 due to the mobile food pantry. Traffic may be bottle necked in the area of the DHHR who has agreed to allow the FRN to use their parking lot to give food out. The next food give away for the FRN is on November 5. She also informed the Commission that transportation is an issue in Calhoun, where families cannot get to Grantsville on the day of the Trucks arrival.  The FRN will deliver when necessary through by paid staff. They serve at least 250 families each week and deliver almost 200 of those food packages. People are struggling to pay bills, and provide food, and the FRN is only one agency, she expressed her appreciation to those who help.  

Clerk Jean Simers suggested that the FRN use the Little Kanawha Bus Company, which is what Roane County does to deliver meals. Mrs. Hamrick informed the Commission that she had tried that and after only one week the LK Bus refused to allow it. The Commissioners noted that they would be checking into why that had happened. 

A ratification of Deputy salaries were approved following a meeting of the Calhoun Civil Service Board.  

Commissioners approved $500 for each area of the County’s Halloween parties. Grantsville, Upper West Fork and Arnoldsburg will each receive $500.  Also awarded was $2,500 for the Christmas Event for the Upper West Fork Park to provide, gift cards, fruit baskets and toys to people in the area. 

FRN will being accepting applications for their Christmas Express (Formerly the Angel Tree) from October 1 to 31st, 2024. Families with children ages 0-18 can make application for a $100 gift card and a shopping opportunity at the FRN Office downstairs. 

Poll Workers were approved for the November 5th, 2024 election. 

The County Commission adopted an animal fostering agreement whereby people can be reimbursed for expense incurred by animals fostered at the Sheriff’s request. 

SB737 funding distribution was awarded to Minnie Hamilton to cover the costs of EMS, EMTs, and Paramedics. The reporting form was acknowledge by the Commission. 

Money was awarded to the Solid Waste Authority in the amount of $9,517.44 for wages, utilities, fuel and maintenance. The county has in the past covered these expenses when grants are not available to the SWA and their funding is short. The Commission acknowledging the asset of the SWA, approved future requests that were made for this purpose which will be billed monthly in the needed amount.

The annual Rental agreement by Little Kanawha Area Development Authority was approved. 

A County admin/assistant/county manager/ which has been mentioned at the last few Commission meetings has been continued yet again for further citizen feedback. Commissioner Helmick expressed his disapproval of the person hired being housed in the Commission office without being supervised. He suggested after having a conversation with Mayor Robert Petrovsky that the County Consider an offer from the Mayor for free office space,  half of the salary being paid by the town in exchange for half of the use of the administrator/grant writer. When Ridgeview News questioned the Town’s ability to pay their own bills, having had to request over $100,000 in recent assistance, there was no answer. However, Emily Collins stated that the funding requested by the town was for the water department, not the general fund. 

Others in the audience suggested that sharing a grant writer was not a good idea because of the time it takes on grant administrative work, and where the allegiance of a dual agency staff person would be when applying for funding.  

Eric Lupardus informed the commission that he had recently met with Senator Queen who would gladly set up a meeting with the Harrison county Administrator for a clearer understanding of how that position would work. 

FRN  request grant funding from the opioid settlement monies at which time Roger stated that the FRN is the only local agency that is doing this type of work. The request for $37,149 was approved. Tina Hamrick stated that “For every dollar we’ve spent it has saved the community $460.00. We have a 60% success rate of not entering an illegal addiction. With a little money we can increase that success rate.” 

Sheriff Graham Knight requested the designation of Hannah Stephens as the new Humane officer in Calhoun County which is required when dealing with the fostering of animals. 

The Civil service board appointment has been continued for the November Commission meeting with two candidates being considered, Pauline Ferrell and Deirdre Purdy.   Commissioner Arthur stated that he would like to see more of what makes them qualified requesting a short resume specific to the civil service position.

The meeting was adjourned following the County financial matters.