James “Cork” Bowen

A new board member was named during the Wetzel County Board of Education meeting held Tuesday night to fill the post vacated by Amy Dieffenbauch.

James “Cork” Bowen was approved to fill the vacancy on the board until June 30, 2012. He will be formally appointed to his post at the board’s next meeting scheduled for Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. at the county office. On Jan. 3 Dieffenbauch resigned her seat, as she has plans to run for county commission.

In another matter, the board approved to move forward with the Valley High School Sportsman’s Club. This club was first proposed during the board’s Jan. 3 meeting wherein several members of the high school and the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office showed their support of starting the club to help engage students who are otherwise not involved in activities at the school. There are still many details to be ironed out in the school’s plans to start the club, however the board was able to affirm their support of this venture through the formal motion made and accepted.