“We just thank you so much for this beautiful morning,” prayed Roger Dahmer, commissioner, in the start of meeting invocation. He added, “We pray You would be with us.”
Carl Hevener, Pendleton County Commission president, asked to share a statement prior to the regular official business of the county. “First, I’d like to recognize the high school softball team for putting Pendleton County on the map with a positive spin.”
Hevener referred to the squad’s dominant performance in winning a state title the week prior.
Official business then commenced with Karen Pitsenbarger, Pendleton County administrator. She related that the commission, in conjunction with representatives of the Pendleton County Building Commission, perform the first reading of two ordinances. These ordinances empower the building commission to obtain the United States Department of Agriculture loan for constructing the courthouse annex.
Pitsenbarger, fortunately, requested to fulfil the legal requirement for the reading by announcing the titles of the two ordinances, rather than reading verbatim the 32 total pages. The Commission concurred.
The second reading will come in the subsequent meeting and, if all goes as expected, will come into force on July 1, the first day of the next fiscal year.
Diana Mitchell from Pendleton 911 spoke next. She noted a personnel issue related to the possible hiring for a full-time position. She asked the commission and also Rick Gillespie, Pendleton County emergency services coordinator, about protocol concerning part time staff who wish to apply for the same job, but at full time hours.
Gillespie shared that “I don’t think it should be automatic” to move the current staff person from part to full time, but “it’s up to the Commission if they want to put this in writing.”
Dahmer moved to make it a requirement that 911 personnel must go through the application process should they wish to jump from part to full time.
Pitsenbarger then provided an update on courthouse annex construction, saying, “Everything’s going along as expected.” She shared that concrete had been poured, but needed time to cure before the next stage could take place.
Commissioners also voted to accept and announce a proclamation related to Men’s Health Month. The proclamation recognized that men experience certain critical health problems in higher rates than women.
Dahmer read the proclamation, which included “Men’s Health Month is a time for the public to recognize the health needs of men and bring more attention to the growing epidemic of suicide and substance abuse.” The original commemoration came from President Bill Clinton in 1994.
Toward the close of the meeting Mike Alt, Pendleton County Emergency Rescue training officer, shared the news of more rescue squad organizations ceasing operation, including one in Pocahontas County. Once again, he warned of the impending crisis in first response capabilities, especially in rural areas relying on dwindling numbers of volunteers.
