| The renewal of a 5-year levy, long supported by county voters is set for a vote in Calhoun on February 1. It does not increase taxes.
The levy has been used to fund the county's fire departments, ambulance service, law enforcement (deputy), and a small amount for holding elections and supporting the Office of Emergency Services.
The levy has been renamed Emergency Services and Criminal Justice Levy, with a re-allocation of levy money to pay a full-time prosecuting attorney.
Calhoun is one of three West Virginia counties that does not have a full time prosecutor, while the prosecutor's office is experiencing a 300% increase in felony cases during the past five years, in addition to increases in magistrate court and juvenile cases.
The ambulance service funding, which has been reduced from the former levy call to $85,000 annually, will help support the service provided by Minnie Hamilton Health System, having taken on the essential service for the county and purchased two new ambulances.
The $85,000 amount designated for Minnie Hamilton EMS will help keep the operation going, with about 18% of the calls made by MHHS not eligible for any kind of reimbursement.
Calhoun citizens, unlike several regional counties, are accustomed to calling the ambulance service for well-being checks, "fallen and can't get up," and providing stand-by services for numerous emergency situations.
Steve Whited, MMHS CEO, says his facility wants to continue providing the special assistance.
Additionally, MHHS is experiencing problems with what was to have been a higher reimbursement for service because of their hospital status, but now experiencing a reduced amount collected for an ambulance call.
Early voting begins January 21, 2014 and lasts until January 29, during regular business hours at the County Clerk's Office.
| 
