By Stephen Smoot
On a slightly unseasonably cool June day under blue skies and bright sun, the Pendleton County Commission meeting room at times saw discussions that ran hot and an atmosphere more stormy than usual.
Bradley Kimble, Pendleton County sheriff, and April Mallow, Pendleton County prosecutor, came to protest cuts to their budgets and found the commission unwavering in their response.
Before all of that, however, Roger Dahmer, commissioner, opened with the customary invocation, praying “Father, we pray that you would be in these proceedings, that you would be with us, Lord, we always pray for Your guidance.”
Attendees then rose to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and the meeting officially commenced.
Rick Gillespie reported that the Emergency Management Performance Grant, awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Administration and distributed through the State of West Virginia, had dropped to $17,745 from approximately $30,000 in the past few years.
Its purpose, according to FEMA, provides “state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management agencies (to) support efforts to build and sustain core capabilities across the prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery mission areas.”
Gillespie posed the question of how the state distributes the funds and suggested that the distribution take more into account than simply population. He added that “$18,000 doesn’t do much” and that a new vehicle “costs exactly the same as Kanawha County.”
“I checked. All the counties have seen the decline,” said Gillespie.
Next, Karen Pitsenbarger, Pendleton County administrator, shared that Phase III in the courthouse project had started. This includes deliveries of furniture, laying down flooring, and other details in the original structure as offices settle into new spaces.
She then asked if Carl Hevener, Pendleton County Commission president, would wish another year of service on the Board of Potomac Valley Transit Authority. He was confirmed by vote after assenting.
Commissioners turned to Annie Humes, executive director of the Pendleton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, to see if she had an update. She shared information on the new CVB policy of holding a regular open house for the community, particularly businesses in the area, to engage the organization when needed or desired.
She then provided an update on Pendleton County’s America 250 mural project, sharing that “the grant paperwork has been filed and should be received by the county.” Humes went on to add that “we were awarded $5,000 from the West Virginia Department of Arts, History, and Culture, which covers most of the cost of the grant.” The Town of Franklin covered the remaining cost of the mural while $500 came from the Pendleton County Arts Council. She added that she will request support from Seneca Rocks Regional Development Authority, the Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce, and the CVB in the coming weeks.
“We’re very close to being all the way there,” shared Humes. Help also came from “Wayne Holloway (who) was able to give us a generous discount on the boom lift” that will help the artists access the higher parts of the walls.
“We’ve had a great response. Everyone’s been enthusiastic about contributing towards that,” she said.
Mike Alt, training officer for Pendleton County Emergency Rescue, provided a report on the stalled implementation of the most recent salary enhancement program for EMS in West Virginia. Lawyers are still examining the legislation, but Alt shared, “It doesn’t sound too favorable and that once a determination is made I’ll pass that along to you all.”
He went on to discuss how a contractor helping with the Upper Tract Volunteer Fire Department facility called in an official asbestos inspector to check out the structure. While the building was cleared by the inspector, Alt informed the Commission that upon looking into the matter that asbestos regulations have changed and that permits may be required for private property work.
Jerry and Jeff Davis came to speak about confusion involving whether the State of West Virginia or the United States Forest Service had authority over Rough Run Road where it extends eastward from Sweedlin Valley Road. Issues included forest service tickets for the use of four-wheelers on the road, as well as the disassembly of a gate put on the road, but not locked.
Ultimately, Gillespie stated that he would investigate the current status of the road under his authority to monitor road names and statuses for 911.
Kimble entered the meeting next. Hevener asked, “Do you want to discuss your questions and concerns of your budget?”
Kimble informed commissioners that for deputies’ overtime, “we’re not going to have enough to last throughout the year” and cited a “$30,000 cut on that.” Hevener replied that there was no $30,0000 account, but that each deputy had $5,000 cut from their individual overtime allotment while the bailiff saw his overtime cut by $12,000.
He explained that his office takes the overtime allotted to each deputy and placed it in common. It was also revealed that deputies collected pay when assigned to be on call. Hevener asked if deputies always took the calls when assigned to be on call, then informed the sheriff that they had not, citing 911 records. The sheriff replied that the deputy might not respond in person, but might still be needed via phone or in some other capacity and Hevener said, “I’m still researching some of that.”
Hevener also questioned why overtime hours continued to increase when a new deputy hire was approved to address that issue. He went on to add that “every time you’ve come here and asked us for anything . . . we’d give it to you” then shared later that “we feel you’ve taken advantage of us every chance you got.”
Kimble then informed the commission, “There will be a lawsuit, heads up on that.” He explained that would be based on the commission cutting the sheriff’s budget and not other agencies. Hevener responded that other agencies had not received what they requested, to which Kimble fired back that does not represent a cut.
“You didn’t give me what I asked for, but you also cut my budget,” noted Kimble.
The requested budget for deputies’ overtime for fiscal year 2027 totaled $85,000. They will receive a total amount of $53,000 for overtime in FY 2027.
Gillespie then shared that he had asked for a voluntary cut to the budget for the Pendleton County Office of Emergency Management to help in the overall effort to balance the overall ledger. “I want the sheriff’s department to have all the resources it can have, just like I want 911 and OEM to have all the resources we can have. But we had to cut the budget,” Gillespie replied.
Additional cuts mentioned included $15,000 from the county clerk’s election budget and the county commission’s loss of approximately $190,000 from its share, among other reductions.
Dahmer then read from a list of categories of the sheriff’s department budget, comparing numbers from fiscal year 2021 to amounts budgeted for 2027. Each category increased and the total rise went from $289,098 to $765,893. He also shared a list of case examples where the West Virginia State Supreme Court of Appeals had sided with county commissions in similar cases.
Later in the meeting, Mallow entered to also discuss cuts to her budget. “I understand what you’re going to do,” she stated, then added that “I’m to the point to where, by myself, without an additional attorney, I’m having trouble meeting my obligations and duties.”
She added that “I had a budget for less than a year for a prosecutor which I couldn’t fill at that rate,” also saying that salaries for assistant prosecutors had increased in recent years. Mallow then said, “I need somebody additional, but that position’s being cut when I couldn’t fill it in less than a year.”
Dahmer gave Mallow a copy of the case examples as well. She left while answering a call from magistrate court.
