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Hardy County commission appoints temporary prosecuting attorney after Weatherholt resignation
Summary
At a special meeting, the Hardy County Commission accepted the resignation of Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Weatherholt and appointed Judge Ryan Robert Buder Ronan to fill the unexpired term; the decision followed an executive-session discussion and public questions about the selection process and a recently passed party-affiliation bill.
The Hardy County Commission accepted the resignation of Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Weatherholt and voted to appoint Judge Ryan Robert Buder Ronan to fill the unexpired term at a special meeting that included public comment and an executive session.
The appointment followed a reading of West Virginia Code 6-9A-4, which the commission cited as authorization to hold an executive session to consider personnel matters. Commissioners said they would notify the public "just as soon as we come back" with the exact details of the appointment and that the temporary prosecutor would serve until the next election.
Commissioners moved and seconded a motion to accept Weatherholt's resignation and carried it by voice vote. The body then took up the appointment of a prosecuting attorney; after discussion and public comment the commission made a motion to appoint Judge Ryan Robert Buder Ronan and approved the motion by voice vote. The clerk recorded the appointment as filling the unexpired term of Jeff Weatherholt.
Members of the public and individuals identifying themselves as law enforcement asked that commissioners allow observers to hear candidates in action and see them in court before a final decision. One commenter urged the commission to "go to court, see these people in action, and kinda go from that" when evaluating candidates. Commissioners acknowledged that public input mattered but said state law and personnel deliberations allowed an executive session for the appointment discussion.
During the meeting commissioners and commenters noted a recently passed legislative measure that, according to staff remarks at the meeting, would require an appointee to have been a Republican for one year prior to appointment; the bill had been sent to the governor and "hasn't been signed by the governor," the record states. Commissioners said they were proceeding with consideration of candidates in light of that pending change.
The man the commission appointed introduced himself to the meeting attendees and described his background, saying he lives in Morgantown and listing multiple state bar admissions. He said he had tried cases in several federal and state courts and that he had previously prosecuted at least one criminal case in Hardy County. Commissioners said they had received input from law enforcement and other community members during their deliberations.
Commissioners discussed timing for the vacancy. They repeated that the law provides a 30-day window to fill the position and said they had discussed contingency planning for continuing caseloads while the commission completed the appointment process. One commissioner noted the newly appointed prosecutor would begin work "beginning April 30," according to discussion at the meeting.
The formal motion to appoint Judge Ryan Robert Buder Ronan passed by voice vote; the record shows no roll-call tally. After the vote the commission adjourned the special meeting.
