Hampshire County Commission schedules special meeting to consider replacement for Commissioner Cannon

The Hampshire County Commission agreed during a Feb. special meeting to schedule a second special meeting for Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern to consider a nominee to fill the unexpired term of Commissioner Cannon, which runs through Dec. 31, 2026.

The vacancy-filling process is governed by state law: "The process for filling any vacancy in the office of county commissioner is spelled out in the West Virginia code chapter 3, article 10, section 7," said Commissioner (name not specified), who opened the meeting. Commissioners said both had submitted lists of nominees to the county clerk but found no person common to both lists.

That lack of overlap left the commission with two paths: one commissioner could accept a nominee from the other and place that person on a posted agenda for action at a subsequent public meeting, or the commissioners could refer the next step to the Hampshire County Republican Executive Committee, as provided under the statute. "I am of the position that we should not deliberate on names tonight," said Commissioner Mance, adding that discussion of specific individuals should occur only after a clerk-posted agenda item to comply with the statutory notice requirements.

Commissioner Mance said he did identify one name on the other commissioner’s list he believes meets the qualifications and that he would provide that name to the county clerk for posting. The county clerk (name not specified) and the commissioners agreed that, because of a Monday holiday and the required notice period, the earliest legally available meeting day would be Wednesday. The clerk said the meeting would be posted with the nominee’s name and that a meeting notice with two full days after posting would be provided.

The commission set the special meeting for Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern in February for the stated purpose of discussing the posted nomination. The clerk will place the nominee’s name on the agenda for that meeting; commissioners agreed they would then publicly consider whether to accept that nominee or to proceed to the county party committee if they could not reach mutual agreement.

With no further business, Commissioner Mance moved to adjourn; the motion was seconded by Commissioner (name not specified).