ON RECORD: CALHOUN COMMISSION

(12/12/2007)
- Actions regarding polling place changes, budget changes for table game revenue, and processing $1.5 million ARC grant for Calhoun water project, see earlier stories.

- Discussion by commissioners relating to request for Administrative Assistant by County Clerk Richard Kirby. Commissioners acknowledging increasing work load, felt it would be best to consider having a designated person under the supervision of the County Clerk to administer county business, as opposed to creating a new county administrator position.

- Commission approved the annual one-time pay raise given to county employees at Christmas, $500 for full-time employees and $200 for part-time employees, excluding causal workers. County Clerk Richard Kirby says the "one-time pay raise" has not been questioned by auditors during the county's annual audit, although it has been called into question by various officials around the state.

Commission president Sampson has maintained it is a reasonable way to use county funds to help employees, giving the "one-time pay raise" when there is sufficient money in the coffers, and when there is not, don't.

- Looking to appoint new person to the county Building Commission, a new member to the LK Parkway Board and a new representative to the LK Area Development Corporation, vacancy created by the death of Dan McDonald.

- Appointed Brady Whipkey to LEPC.

- Contractual agreement regarding Alternative Sentencing Program to be reviewed by prosecutor Matt Minney.

- Denied request by CRI for $4,000 assistance from the county. Commissioners discussed issue, felt such an amount would do little to take care of the agencies $600,000 debt.

- Discussed issues related to the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department's movement to decrease services to Calhoun, expressing concerns that the health department's funds designated to Calhoun County could be more appropriately spent to provide direct services for citizens in need. Will ask director Dick Wittburg to appear before commission.

- 911 Director Gary Buchanan reported E-911 mapping and addressing is about completed in the town of Grantsville.

- Greg Hill from the WV Small Business Development Office introduced self as new director.

- Adopted revised by-laws for LEPC.

- Vote on final approval of County Employee Handbook set for next week.

- County employee Christmas Dinner set for December 20th.

- Accepted Diane Ludwig's resignation from E-911 Advisory Board.

- Reviewed grants, signed courthouse facilities grant to improve front steps to courthouse, worked on submitting courthouse security grant.

- The commission agrees with West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, who has put extra time off in state employees' holiday stockings. The governor has decided that state agencies will be closed on the Mondays before Christmas and New Year's Day. In the past, state employees have received half days for the days prior to both the holidays.

- The next commission meeting is January 14th.