| The Calhoun Commission is moving on grant applications for several public
projects in the county.
Commissioners voted Monday evening to apply for a $32,000 grant to the WV
Department of Highways for a walking trail at Wayne Underwood Field. A matching
grant request for $5,000 is being made to the Parkersburg Area Community
Foundation.
The commission also plans to ask DNR to develop a boat dock along the Wayne
Underwood Field.
The commission has asked the Calhoun County Park Board to make a decision
about needed projects at that facility. The commission will apply to the Benedum
Foundation for park improvements.
A grant application will be submitted to the Sisters of St. Joseph Foundation for
improvements to Wayne Underwood Field, now owned by the county. The grant will
ask funding for bleacher seating for 400 people, a 20' x 40' picnic shelter, twenty
picnic tables and money for water, sewer and electric improvements.
A $30,000 Governor's Partnership Grant has been obtained by Del. Bill Stemple to
stabilize the roof on the old B. F. Goodrich building. The commission has advertised
for bids on the project.
The commission also processed a $40,000 grant received from the Budget Digest
for mandated improvements of courthouse computers. They also processed a
$5,000 grant for the Upper West Fork Community Park.
The commission has continued to explore possibilities for a 911 center, saying the
county is legally and fiscally responsible for 911. Commissioner Bob Weaver
replaced commissioner Rick Sampson on the 911 Board.
Weaver says he wanted a consensus and written proposal from the 911 Board
within 60 days regarding a site, type of building and needed upgrades on the radio
communications system.
Upon the hiring of new prosecutor Matt Minney, the commission voted to extend
health insurance to him through the state's Public Employees Insurance (PEIA) for
single coverage, currently at $350 a month. PEIA health insurance is not pro rated to a perons age or health problems, but is issued across the board at the same rate.
Commissioners Weaver and McCallister voted to extend the coverage and
Commissioner Rick Sampson abstained.
Elected officials opted not to take health insurance several years ago during a
budget crunch, to make sure county employees would receive coverage. The
extension of the coverage to the prosecutor means that all elected officials are
eligible for single-person coverage.
The insurance resolution stated if the county cannot afford health insurance for
elected officials, it will be discontinued again. If all the elected officials who have indicated they need the single coverage, the cost is between $20,000-$25,000 annually.County Clerk Richard Kirby abd Circuit Clerk Shelia Garretson is currently covered by their spouse's premimum.
Currently the sheriff, the prosecutor, the assessor and the commissioners will be provided with single coverage, unless the annual budget indicates otherwise.
Commissioner Rick Sampson, who abstained on the insurance issue, has chosen the insurance. He said it has been years since he has had any kind of coverage. "I know it is a real problem everywhere, getting insurance. And it certainly is not that I feel more deserving than anyone else."
Calhoun may be one of only two counties that does not make health insurance
available for elected officials. Commissioner Weaver said "If it becomes a financial burden, we'll do what was done before, take it away."
Commissioners McCallister, Weaver and Sampson all agreed - if it comes to not insuring other county employees, they will remove themselves from the coverage.
County Commissioners have also declined "mandated"
pay raises in the past. The salaries of elected officials are determined by the
state.
At the request of Knotts Memorial United Methodist Church, the commission
passed a resolution regarding the churches offer to donate the Hamilton property
for an emergency services center. The commission expressed appreciation for the
churches generous offer, stating funding could not be obtained for multi-purpose
emergency center on that site.
The commission is looking for a replacement for Marvin Starcher (Lee District),
who resigned from the county Building Authority.
The commission has received complaints regarding Charter TV Cable's poor
service. The commission will contact Charter regarding the problem, which is
mostly in areas outside the Grantsville town limits.
County Clerk Richard Kirby advised the commission that he and Circuit Clerk Shelia
Garretson will be attending a conference on West Virginia election changes, mostly
because of the Federal Voting Act. Kirby said the state now has "no excuse voting"
which allows any voter to cast a ballot during a voting period prior to any
election.
The federal law does away with the old punch card system, which is still used by a
few West Virginia counties. Calhoun uses a paper ballot which is counted by an
optical scanning system, now used by most counties.
An old building on Wayne Underwood Field was sold to Steve Satterfield for $50, he
being the only bidder.
Commissioner President Bob Weaver was appointed to the Blue-Gray Rt. 33
highway group, which proposes to upgrade U. S. 33 from Ripley to I-79.
The annual audit of the county is currently being completed by the State Tax
Department. County Clerk Richard Kirby said there were minor recommendations regarding procedure. He said the county has been able to stay in the black in recent years. "There was a surplus at the end of this last fiscal year, but the money was quickly expended," he said.
The county has been able to pay-off one of its largest obligations, the Regional Jail Bill.
Judy Metz of Norman Ridge appeared before the commission to advocate for a
water line extension from the Yellow Creek/Back Fork water project.
Diane Ludwig of the LK Area Development Corporation said her agency had applied
for money to be used in a Micro-Loan program for small businesses. | 
