| Calhoun Sheriff Carl Ballengee says he is working on getting deputy sheriff positions filled to cover the county.
Ballengee said deputy Justin Metheney has officially resigned as a deputy, but said he was trying to hire Metheney part-time as a non-law enforcement person to wrap up a number of cases in which he had been involved.
Metheney resigned, Ballengee said, prior to taking a scheduled test for the West Virginia State Police Academy, which is required to be hired as a permanent deputy sheriff.
Metheney told the Herald, while enjoying the law enforcement position, he felt compelled to take a much better paying job.
The Sheriff said Craig Gherke will be taking the exam in May, saying it is "a third and last chance."
Gherke has not been a law enforcement officer since last summer. "He has been working in the office, doing process serving, court security and other duties," Ballengee said.
Ballengee said he will be working with the Calhoun Commission to upgrade deputy sheriff's wages, so "qualified applicants will apply and can be retained to serve the county."
Ballengee said there is a backlog of applications for candidates to be accepted to the State Police Academy.
Today is the final day for deputy applications to be received. Those applications will be processed under civil service guidelines.
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