(Photo by Chuck Clegg) The Wetzel County Board of Education approves the two planned consolidations in the county.

At 9 a.m. within the Wetzel County Board offices, Mrs. Linda Fonner, Board President called for a special meeting for the formal action on the proposed school closures and to conduct a regular board business meeting.

The first order of business was a motion by President Fonner with a second by board member, Christine Nice to approve the recommendation for the closure of Paden City High School, and its consolidation into Magnolia High School, along with Paden City Junior High into the New Martinsville School at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

Discussion was held: “What has changed on this board? Only one thing! Mr. Price did not run for the position and Mrs. Mitchell won the seat during the election. That’s the only thing that changed with this board. We voted on this, this was on the agenda and it died from a lack of a motion. And it was put back on the agenda a couple weeks later and all five board members voted no. We all stood together! We were told by Mrs. Porter that she was going to shut down Paden City High School due to vapors and whatever all about the EPA regulations, we came to find out that wasn’t true, then Paden City filed a lawsuit against us and took us to court. Judge Wilson said open it back up and that’s what we did. Mrs. Porter had contempt of court charges filed against her, because she shut down sports. The board found it in their heart to invest in Paden City middle school $5.2 million dollars for a gymnasium. Mrs. Fonner and Mr. Castilow were on the board at that time. They made the right decision at the time. It was finished when I was put on this board. I’m asking every board member at this time, you found it in your heart to invest in Paden City Elementary. Now let’s invest in Paden City high school and keep it open, “stated Jimmy Glasscock.

Board President Linda Fonner responded, ” Couple points right there. The first one is that the first vote was for a merger and we did vote against it, that would have meant that teachers down there would not have had a job so it was for a different reason I voted that time. As for the elementary school I’ve said forever that we need to keep the elementary schools in the hometowns, and the cost of the gymnasium also took into consideration a sprinkler system being put in down there because they didn’t have one and also putting an elevator in down there.”

Discussion was held with board member Jimmy Glasscock speaking to the other members as to why they are now voting to approve the same motion they rejected in prior meetings. He wanted to know why they changed direction with only one new board member who had not been present for those meetings.

President Fonner then called for the vote on the consolidation of Paden City and Magnolia. President Fonner voted to approve along with Christine Mitchell, Christine Nice and Brian Castlow. Mr. Glasscock voted not to consolidate.

President Fonner then read the second recommendation for approval for the closure of Hundred High School and its Consolidation into Valley High School at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

Concerning the closure of Hundred high school, Glasscock said this, ” The road to Barker is a terrible road for a 90 passenger bus. At the Hundred meeting Johanna Lemasters said that she had 30 plus years as a teacher and that it was going to hurt the Hundred community if you shut down the school and she also said it would ruin the fire department and EMS squad. Mrs. Porter stated I can’t worry about your fire department. I take that personally, I take that personally! When you really really need them, that’s when they are the best people in the world. There isn’t one of you board members here who have had to crawl into a head on collision and take a body out of it. I have done that! There’s not one of you that has sat all night long, ‘all night long’ and waited until a fire had cooled off and then picked up two babies and rolled them up in a sheet and took them to the morgue. All night long, I did that. So when you go talking about fire and EMS I’m telling you, we have three units here: police, fire and EMS and we are one unit. We are the best in the county. I’m sure Marshall county is the same. Mrs. Porter then said she never said that, and Glasscock said yes Mamm you did! And it is wrong to put our kids on a bus across Barker with the dangerous roads. I’ve done my homework. In a 12 hour period there are 150 big trucks going into Barker and 90 big sand trucks. We are putting our kids in that danger. This is wrong. There are three hills before they even get to Barker. He said the guardrails are a joke as they only go 30 inches in the ground. Can you imagine being in the fire department and going over the hill to pick up 90 kids. Our fire departments are not equipped to handle it. He added Tennant Funeral home in Hundred will be a busy place. He said the board needed to vote this down.

Mrs. Porter explained that talks have taken place, and they will continue. She said they will try and make sure the road is as safe as possible for the transport of students. Mrs. Fonner spoke about the oil and gas traffic question as well, and stated the companies in question will adhere to a curfew during the times buses are transporting students.

The vote was called and the board voted three for the consolidation and two against. Mitchell, Nice, and Fonner voted in favor, and Castilow and Glasscock voted against the consolidation.

Mrs. Fonner then read the motion for approval of the recommendation of the amendments for the comprehensive education facility plan (CEFP) for the closure of Paden City High School.

Mrs. Fonner made the motion and Mrs. Nice seconded the motion. Board members Mitchell, Nice, Fonner and Castilow approved the motion. Mr. Glasscock voted not to approve. 4 to 1.

The final motion was for the approval of the recommendation of the amendment for the comprehensive education facilities plan (CEFP) for the closure of Hundred High School. At 9:13 in the morning the final vote for consolidation for the change in Wetzel County Schools took place. Three board members voted in favor of the recommendation: Mitchell, Nice and Fonner. Mr. Castilow and Mr. Glasscock voted not to approve. Motion approved by a 3 to2 vote.

Following the voting the board took a short recess before continuing on with their regular monthly meeting.

Following the meeting, Superintendent Cassie Porter was asked where the process of consolidation goes from here.

“A lot of people have asked that question, we need to build trust between the community and the board by building one school. That would require one move. Today’s action will facilitate two moves if approved by the state board of education. We will send the impact statements along to Charleston for their meeting on December 11th for their approval prior to the first of the year, “ said Porter.

“We are going to begin the process in January of working on staff, we want to make sure everyone has time to bid on jobs as soon as possible. Persons working in Wetzel County Schools affected by the changes will still have a position when the changes take place.”

Long Drain Principal Jeremy Kelch surprised the board with a presentation in the event the consolidation of Hundred into Valley takes place. He had done extensive work looking at moving Long Drain School to Hundred High School’s building. That building would offer more opportunities and improved conditions over Long Drains school. He did point out the playground and kitchen would need a plan of action to meet the needs of Pre-K and elementary students.

Superintendent Cassie Porter gave much of the credit for the day’s accomplishment to her staff and the board. “We have taken the first step, but there is much work ahead for us all.”