The Braxton County Commission met in special session last Friday, May 26 to discuss a variety of topics. Melvin Gum served as president in the absence of Lisa Godwin who was absent due to illness.
First on the agenda was Prosecuting Attorney Dwayne Vandevender. The PA requested permission to discuss personnel issues and an assistant prosecuting attorney with the commission. The Commission adjourned into a closed-door session at 9:02 a.m. Shortly thereafter, at 9:10, the public meeting reconvened. Larry Clifton made a motion to hire William McCoy as assistant prosecuting attorney at a salary of $85,000 per year and full county benefits.
Edie Tichner represented Magistrate David Singleton who was on the agenda but had court and was able to attend. Singleton submitted preliminary price quotes for constructing a new court facility apparently in lieu of spending $600,000 on heating and air conditioning at the current Annex. Melvin Gum stated that they would defer the discussion to a work session.
Sheriff Lou DellaMea was next to address the commission. He presented a letter to the commission explaining how at the last meeting he had asked for and had been granted permission to hire Levi Grant Cochran as a Deputy Sheriff. In that request he stated the new Deputy would be required to sign a contract stating he would stay with the county for at least 2 years. Sheriff DellaMea explained that Cochran was already a certified Deputy and could not be bound by such an agreement since the county had not funded his training. The Commission accepted the recommendation.
Justin Rollyson, Maintenance Supervisor presented the Commission with a letter requesting that they hire James Edward Thomas as a full-time custodian to fill a vacancy in the department. Rollyson stated that Thomas would be paid $20,000 per year with full county benefits and serve a 90-day probationary period. Larry Clifton made a motion to approve the hire.
Commissioner Gum opened two bids received from Mark LeRose Ford for a used vehicle for the Animal Shelter. One bid was for a 2016 Crew Cab Ram with 82,000 miles costing $31.940. The other vehicle was a single cab 2017 Ford XL at a cost of $28,150. Larry Clifton made a motion to tabled consideration till the trucks could be examined.
Larry Clifton brought up the subject of heating and air conditioning in the Annex Building. He stated that he was confident that there was sufficient expertise with the profession to obtain adequate recommendations for a system without hiring a consultant. Following the discussion Clifton made a rescind the motion of the previous meeting to hire a consultant and have Larry head the project. That action was approved. Clifton further made a motion to readvertise for bids to upgrade the Annex’s heating and air conditioning system which also passed.
Being nothing else on the special agenda, the meeting adjourned at 9:28 a.m. The next regular meeting of the Braxton County Commission will convene on Friday June 2 at 9:00 a.m.
Devoted to Braxton County, West Virginia