The Wetzel County Commission met on Tuesday morning, May 6, for a regular scheduled monthly session with a large agenda to discuss and approve. Commission President Lisa Heasley opened the meeting by leading in the Pledge of Allegiance and then called meeting to order introducing Chip Goff, Becki Goff and Hattie Massey from the town of Hundred to discuss the Hundred Legion Building the commission owns, turning it into a East Wetzel County Community Center to service the Hundred and surrounding area. Goff said he would like to be able to do this for the town to promote tourism for their small community. The commission said they would take mayor Goff’s proposal he gave the commission to look over. The commission tabled until the next meeting.

Next on the agenda was Jimmy Glasscock, Gary Glasscock, DJ Glasscock, Wetzel County School Superintendent Cassie Porter, and others to request funding for a Statewide radio system for school buses by adding three new tower upgrades to give the county 100 percent coverage. Gary Glasscock spoke about the new upgrade plan to have coverage for the entire county and all buses would have access in case of medical emergency or problem on the bus to reach out by radio.

“Some cases in the county we do not have cell phone coverage and no way to contact anyone, “ said Glasscock.”

The West Virginia statewide system is called SIRN and is already set up on channels. Now, the ambulance service must radio the command center in Flatwoods if they are transporting a patient to hospital. The new system would eliminate that for ambulances to save time and lives. The cost of three updated towers would be $1.5 million to finish the project. The system offers 3,000 channels, and the cost of the radios is $5,200.

Wetzel County Superintendent Cassie Porter said it would be good for the safety of our children and bus drivers in our county in case of a medical emergency or tree down, etc., that the bus needs help and could be running late to inform the parents. Heasley asked about the earlier money the commission and taxpayers paid for that previously and that Sheriff Koontz got passed before for a radio update that is not finished.

Sheriff Eric Daugherty said that the system the previous sheriff was getting installed would not cover 100 percent of the county as this new system would. Commissioner Kelly Nelsen made a motion to form a committee with EMS, VFD’s, BOE, Sheriff’s Department and others that would be using the system and Marshall County that offered to pay 1/3 of the cost for the Wetzel County tower to discuss this new system in more detail. The motion passed by the commission.

In other matters, Wesley Morgan, director of the Rock the Valley Festival, was present to ask for funding to help with some of the costs. Morgan requested $15,000 but the commission said they are going to let him use the grounds for the two-day event and that is all they can do, and he should contact the gas companies in the area. The festival will be held October 4-5.

Other items addressed:

1. Meeting minutes of April 15, 2025, was approved by the commission.

2. Decision on tabled items: Town & Country Days, Autumn Festival, Paden City Labor Day Celebration, RegattaFest, Back Home Festival, Country Roads Festival will receive $25,000 (except for the Back Home Festival only receiving $10,000 because they have already received $15,000) the Helping Hands Food Pantry, Pine Grove Co-Op Food Pantry will receive $20,000.

3. Purchase of an ATV for the 4-H Campgrounds was granted by approval from the commission.

4. An estimate for tree removal at the 4-H Campgrounds for five trees was approved by the commission for a cost of $9,400.

5. Consideration of SD WAN solution – proposal of 1G DIA (internet circuit) with Segra Network was tabled.

6. The Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board appointment of Ashley Blake to the Board of Directors was approved by the commission.

7. Request for funding from New Martinsville Vintage Regatta for $25,000 was approved by the commission.

8. Request for funding from New Martinsville School TSA Advisor for their STEM education program; no action was taken by the commission.

9. Request for funding from Wetzel County Relay for Life for support of Survivor’s Dinner was tabled for more details.

10. A letter of support for the Inland Waterways Maritime Academy was given approval.

11. A WCC representative to the Wetzel/Tyler Health Department New Facilities Committee was approved; Commissioner Nelsen will be the representative for WCC.

12. Advertising for a new employee in the maintenance department was tabled.

13. Laci Scott was approved to work at the animal shelter on a part-time basis starting May 10.

14. Promoting Bengy Swanson to County Administrator was tabled.

15. Promoting Ron McCoy to Administrative Director of the Wetzel County Animal Shelter was tabled by the commission.

16. Promoting Pam Ferrell to Facilities Director of the Wetzel County Animal Shelter was also tabled.

17. Consideration of a vote on termination of probationary employee Alec Chaplin was tabled till next meeting.

18. Discussion on potential facilities upgrades to the War Memorial Building to be the new Sheriff’s Department and the old Commission Building was given approval to move forward with engineering to see what the cost will be to do the upgrades.