By Stephen Smoot
As much of the area saw the first frost of the fall, the Pendleton County Commission gathered to hold its second regular meeting for the month of October.
Commissioner Roger Dahmer’s invocation included him thanking God “for the opportunity to serve You and to serve others.”
The first order of business lay in the proposed ordinance to raise the 911 fee. Commissioners had explained in a previous meeting that the fee had not increased since its establishment in the 1990s. Diana Mitchell from Pendleton 911 and Rick Gillespie, Pendleton County Emergency Services coordinator, brought a draft of the ordinance for commissioners to review.
Gillespie recommended that the commission have April Mallow, Pendleton County Prosecuting Attorney and county counsel, to review the draft because “it needs some attorney help” in wording the document properly as law.
Commissioners already agreed to increase the residential line fee from $2.50 to $5.00, but have not yet determined the level to raise the business line fee. Currently it stands at $8.00, but the commission is leery of doubling that. Carl Hevener, Pendleton County Commission president, noted that he saw another county hike theirs from $8 to $12.
Hevener suggested tabling the issue until the next meeting so commissioners and Mallow would have a chance to review the draft.
Karen Pitsenbarger, Pendleton County administrator, gave the update on the courthouse annex progress. “Everything’s going well,” she said, adding that if the weather allows, the bricklaying work should commence soon.
Commissioners then held the legally mandated second reading for the proposed planning commission. Impetus for this started when the county received an opportunity through Mon Forest Towns and the West Virginia University Law Clinic to put one together and be eligible for assistance from the clinic for it.
Pitsenbarger conducted the reading. The next steps will be for the commission to appoint first, then meet with, those who will serve on that body.
A representative from the office of the Pendleton County Clerk was on hand to address efforts by the Town of Franklin to synchronize elections starting in 2026. State law mandates that municipal elections be held at the same time as county primary elections starting in 2028. Frank Wehrle, Town of Franklin administrator, initiated the process to work with the county.
Hevener then put the focus on attendees, starting with Annie Humes, executive director of the Pendleton County Convention and Visitors Bureau. She requested that commissioners “put the date of Nov.12 on your all’s radar.”
On that day, a meeting of Mon Forest Towns with that organization’s Franklin representation will take place.
Mike Alt, training officer with Pendleton County Emergency Rescue, reported that EMT classes would end soon and he expected four graduates would stay in area service. He expressed concerns that the inability to renew CMS related funding during the government shutdown could affect payment for ambulance services, even if a vote returns government to normal service.
Gillespie noted that the shutdown had held up a grant awarded reimbursement for the county purchase of radios for law enforcement.
Later in the week, Congressman Riley Moore responded to a question about the growing crisis in West Virginia volunteer fire and EMS services. He replied that when he served as delegate from Jefferson County that he saw Mountain State basic services such as emergency response and public schools struggle to compete to compensate their personnel, with Maryland and Virginia able to pay more.
“The federal government can help with grants and tangible awards” for one-time costs, noted Moore. “Personnel, however, “is a state issue that we need to get more competitive with (bordering states).”
With “the majority of our population living on the border,” it matters even more what those states pay personnel providing services, shared Moore.
Moore does not represent Pendleton County in the United States Congress. Carol Miller serves as representative currently. Moore was visiting Potomac Highlands area county commissions in his district.
Sherry Mongold shared that the Seneca Rocks Regional Development Authority would soon be able to open its Innovation Hub, with painting nearly complete.
