-

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, COUNTY OF PRESTON, Ss:

The Preston County Commission met in Regular Session at 9:30 a.m., November 12, 2019

in the County Commission Meeting Room.

The meeting was called to order by President Dave Price who invited those present to join

in the Pledge of Allegiance

President Price then declared the following Commissioners present: Don Smith,

Samantha Stone and Dave Price.

Also present was Kathy Mace, Interim Administrator and Linda Huggins, County Clerk.

The following persons registered their attendance during the meeting:

Kathy Plum – The Dominion Post Connie Ervin-Assessor

Theresa Marthey – P.C. News and Journal Duane Hamilton-OEM/911

Deanna Lively-Deputy Clerk Madeline Funk

Crystal Bolyard-Deputy Clerk Mike Adams-PSD#1

Tina Roscoe-Deputy Clerk Rosemary Bernatowicz

Becky Lonsdale Melva Gillispie-Master Gardner

Sheriff Dan Loughrie Melissa Hardy-PCSD

Kaelyn Holstein Jennifer & Madeline Funk

Kelsie, Michaela & Michele Ballard Michaella, Madison, & Amy Voytek

Katherine, Barrett, Benton, Bella, Brayleigh, & Branson Mullens

Tabitha, Elizabeth, William, & Charlie Holmes

No one registered prior to the meeting to address the Commission.

Commissioner Stone moved to authorize payment of all properly presented and

approved invoices. Commissioner Smith seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken

with Commissioners Stone, Smith and Price voting yes. Motion carried.

Commissioner Smith made a motion to approve the Tax Correction List dated

November 12, 2019 as presented by Assessor Connie Ervin in the amount of $124.14.

Commissioner Stone seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners

Smith, Stone and Price voting yes. Motion carried.

There were no Notice of Apportionments, Consolidation of Land or County Court Splits.

Recognition of Scheduled Appointments

9:33 a.m. Road Update

Commissioner Stone reported that the amount of time left to lay asphalt is

short due to the falling temperatures and shorter days. Certain temperature specks

have to be met on state jobs to pave but they are working on a list of roads to be

picked up in the spring.

Commissioner Price spoke with Blaine Bowmar and said even though they

can’t pave or do patching work they will still continue core maintenance on the

country roads like grading, ditching and mowing.

9:35 a.m. District No. 1 Update

President Price introduced Mike Adams, PSD#1 Board Member with an

update on the Upper Deckers Creek rehabilitation.

Mr. Adams noted that the water at Impoundment 6 is very low. It had been

running about 1’ 11’’ and is now down to 1’8’’. They are pumping from the blue

hole and had been gravity feeding but it wasn’t keeping up. He said they were going

to continue to pump all week until they run out of water and it cost about $700.00

every two days for fuel for the pump.

He said the second side is that the beaver dam is back at the hole and the

water is up and it is viable water that the district could be using.

Mr. Adams also went on to note that this district was stable until they were

required to move from Impoundment 1 and find a new water source. They went from

paying $1,800.00 a month for chemicals to $8,000.00 to $10,00.00 per month to treat

the water at Impoundment 6. A much harder water to treat. The additional costs to

treat the water and the additional manpower to keep water flowing and lines flushed

has put them in a deficit. This is some of the reasons why the Public Service

Commission approved an emergency interim rate increase for the district.

The district asks why they have to support these costs when the project is a

year overdue? Mr. Adams urged everyone to get in touch with their elected officials

and the Public Service Commission to complain about delays in the water project

and also urged customers to attend the PSD’s meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each

month.

He said there are community concerns about the water reiterated that there

isn’t any unsafe water out there. The biggest issues they have are the color and the

odor.

PSD #1 hooked to Clinton District, which will sell it 50,000 gallons of water

per day. Sometime this week PSD#1 will put a dry hydrant at the Gordon Church

where customers can fill up jugs or containers free.

9:40 a.m. Linda Huggins, County Clerk-Employee Hire

Commissioner Price acknowledged Clerk Linda Huggins with a new

employee hire request.

Commissioner Stone made a motion to approve the hire of Miss Tina Roscoe

as a Deputy Clerk with the County Clerk’s Office and a beginning date of November

12, 2019 and a starting pay rate of $12.85 per hour. Commissioner Smith seconded

the motion. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Stone, Smith and Price

voting yes. Motion carried.

9:45 a.m. American Heritage Girls Regarding Wreaths Across America

Several young ladies from the American Heritage Girls group attended the

meeting today with information for their Wreaths Across American project.

Madeline Funk, Madison Voytek, Kelsie Ballard, and Bella Mullens spoke

about why they like American Heritage Girls and Wreaths Across America.

The American Heritage Girls raise integrity through Service to God, family

community and country. The program teaches them many important life skills

through leadership opportunities. They participate in outdoor activities, service

projects for their communities and they are very proud of the Wreaths Across

America Project.

The Wreaths Across America mission is to remember the fallen U.S.

Veterans, to honor those who served and to teach children the value of freedom.

Every December, the National Wreaths Across America Days mission is to

remember, honor and to carry out wreath laying ceremonies at Arlington National

Cemetery as well as 1600 location in all 50 U.S. States.

The wreaths are hand-crafted and the American Heritage Girls hold a

ceremony to respectfully lay the wreaths sponsored on the fallen veterans grave for

each branch of the military.

Last year the group had 670 wreaths sponsored by family, friends and

businesses. This year their goal is 800. Five dollars from each wreath is given back

to the troop for activities and troop expenses.

The group will be collecting wreath sponsorships through the month of

November. To order a wreath go to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org enter code

WV0042P to support their group.

9:50 a.m. Preston County Master Gardeners-Permission to plant tree on McGrew

Property

Melva Gillespie, representing Preston County Master Gardeners, Rosemary

Bernatowicz, McGrew Society and Rebecca Lonsdale, Cranberry Garden Club, came

before the Commission today to request permission to plant a fringe tree on the

McGrew Property to honor the memory of Mildred Lindley.

Commissioner Stone made a motion to proudly approve the planting of the

French tree on the McGrew Property. Commissioner Smith seconded the motion. A

roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Stone, Smith and Price voting yes.

Motion carried. (See Attached.)

9:55 a.m. Sheriff’s Department-Employee Hire

President Price recognized Sheriff Dan Loughrie with a new hire request.

Commissioner Smith moved to approve the hire of Christopher MacQueen

as a Utility Officer for the Preston County Sheriff’s Office with a starting date of

November 16, 2019. His rate of pay will be $12.00/hr. Commissioner Stone

seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Smith, Stone

and Price voting yes. Motion carried.

Approval of Minutes – October 21, 23 ,28, 30, 2019

Commissioner Smith made a motion to approve the minutes of October 21,

23, 28, 30, 2019. Commissioner Stone seconded the motion. A roll call vote was

taken with Commissioners Smith, Stone and Price voting yes. Motion carried.

Proceedings in Vacation -October 30, 2019 through November 5, 2019

Under NEW BUSINESS Commissioner Smith moved to dispense with the reading in open court of the

proceedings of the Clerk of this Commission, had in vacation on October 30, 2019 thru November 5, 2019

inclusive, and to approve and confirm the same as presented by the County Clerk, there having been no

exception or objections filed thereto. (See attachment)

Commissioner Stone seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Smith, Stone and Price voting yes. Motion carried. Estate Settlements – October 28, 2019 thru November 1, 2019

Commissioner Stone moved that the proceeding estate settlements and/or waivers thereof, having been filed for a period of ten (10) days prior to the commencements of this term and there being no exceptions or objections filed thereto, be approved and confirmed. (See attached.)

Commissioner Smith seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Stone, Smith

and Price voting yes. Motion carried.

Fiduciary Commissioner – None

Old Business – Consideration and/or action

New Business – Consideration and/or action

A. Appoint/reappointment member to the North Central West Virginia Community Action

Board of Directors

Commissioner Smith made a motion to reappoint Cindy Shockey to the North

Central West Virginia Community Action Board of Directors. Commissioner Stone

seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Smith, Stone and

Price voting yes. Motion carried.

Administrator’s Report – Consideration and/or action

Commissioner Price recognized Kathy Mace for the Administrators Report.

Ms. Mace asked the Commission, regarding the bottled water for the Valley School, if they

would agree since the vendor is not on the schools’ vendor list but is on the Commissions’ vendor

list if the County could go ahead and pay for the water and then the school board would reimburse

the County. The amount is $2,808.00. She asked for permission to go ahead and code the bill out

of the Commissions budget in anticipation that the Board of Education, who Duane got a

commitment from, will reimburse the money.

Commissioner Stone said the Valley School was asking her if Commissioner Smith if the

Solid Waste Authority could come up with more recycling bins for the school to handle all the

empty water bottles. A suggestion was made to use large clear bags or receptacles labeled for

recycling.

A. Update on Election Center

County Clerk Linda Huggins presented information that was previously e-mailed to

the Commissioner for their information.

She said they visited a couple of different places in Kingwood. The rent for the old

Schwab Building is $1,200.00 plus utilities. She had also reached out to the Daileys

regarding the Dailey building but thinks it has already been promised.

She is currently looking at smaller space at the Corner Place just for the storage and

programming of election equipment. It is not being looked at as an Election Center.

The cost to rent this space would be $1,050.00/mth. and that includes all utilities. It

seems to be a nice safe and secure place.

The Commissioners decided to meet on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.

to look at the space.

B. Update on maintenance projects

Ms. Mace said the leftover books in the basement of the Courthouse, that were not

available to the public because of their condition, were moved out and the area cleaned

on Monday.

At the same time, a broken valve was repaird by Briton Heating and Cooling.

C. Budget Revisions

Preston County Commission-PSD#1 Grant Project Expenditures

DECREASE 001-401-105 $2,080.00

INCREASE 001-401-223-04 $2,080.00

Commissioner Smith made a motion to approve the budget revision as presented by

Kathy Mace for the PSD#1 Grant Project. Commissioner Stone seconded the

motion. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Smith, Stone and Price

voting yes. Motion carried.

D. Miscellaneous Correspondence

• Ms. Mace received a late bill from the spay and neuter program that

occurred in July. She asks for reimbursement in the amount of $708.70

from Department of Agriculture for a bill received for four dogs because the

final report goes out this week.

Commissioner Smith made a motion to authorize the President to sign the

request for reimbursement from the spay and neuter. Commissioner Stone

seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners

Smith, Stone and Price voting yes. Motion carried.

• Ms. Mace sent by email drawings tht eh Assessor had provided about the

way they would enhance security in her office with a modification in their

counters for the Commissions consideration.

• Animal Shelter-still looking to build a something to hold larger animals

with storage. Would like to get a veterarians opinion to assist with that.

• Permits and renewals for the animal shelter are due to be renewed this time

of year as well as permits for the facility.

• Board of Equalization tentative dates have been set. Will go over the dates

once they are returned back from the state along with the minerals date.

• Fire alarm inspections are being scheduled to meet the yearly mark.

• Family Court renovations have the drawing to scale and it has been

approved by the judge. Moving forward with this project.

• Mayor Titchenell-has not heard back from him regarding the sheriff’s

vechicle that the Town of Albright was looking to buy.

• Enterprise-the car that they have has still not sold

• November 12th-CEO’s Luncheon; 10:30 a.m.

• November 12th-IT Meeting; 9:30 a.m.

• November 19th-Preston County Day meeting at 2:00 p.m. in the

Commission Room

• Task force meeting at 4:30 p.m.

• November 20th-clean up meeting

• November 23rd-Appreciation Dinner at Rowlesburg; 4:30 p.m.

Personnel Matters-Consideration and/or action

Legal Matters-Consideration and/or action

Anticipated Executive Session with Inerim Administrator Mace concerning legal

matter relating to Civil Action No. 18-C-83

At 10:47 a.m. Commissioner Stone made a motion to go into Executive

Session for a legal matter relating to Civil Action No. 18-C-83. Commissioner Smith

seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Stone, Smith and

Price voting yes. Motion carried.

Those in attendance for the Executive Session were Commissioner Price,

Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Stone and Kathy Mace, Interim Administrator.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

At 10:57 a.m. Commissioner Stone moved to reenter open session.

Commissioner Smith seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken with

Commissioners Stone, Smith and Price voting yes. Motion carried.

Commissioner Price advised that no action was taken.

After the Executive Session, Ms. Mace asked where they were on the defribillators

project. She was asked to get quotes from more than one vendor to compare prices on

leasing versus buying them out right.

Ms. Mace also wanted to make the Commissioners aware of a gentleman who was

asking to do 20 hours of community service at the animal shelter or the courthouse

facilities. He is from Smithfield, PA but works in the Reedsville area. She is gathering

more information, did not want to proceed until she discussed this with the

Commission.

At 11:40 a.m. there being no further business to come before the

Commission, Commissioner Price declared the Regular Session adjourned.

Information

A. Minutes- November 4, 2019

B. Miscellaneous Correspondence

Commissioners Comments

____________________________________ Commissioner

____________________________________

Commissioner

___________________________________ Commissioner

- - -o O o - - -

11/12/2019