Berkeley County Commission approves grant application, routine transfers, hires and a slate of appointments

The Berkeley County Commission on April 10 approved a series of routine administrative actions including internal budget transfers, personnel changes, a grant application and a series of appointments and proclamations.

The commission voted to approve three internal budget transfers: a $2,000 transfer within animal-control accounts requested by Sheriff Blair; an $8,000 reallocation within the voter-registration department requested by Clerk Petrucci (from maintenance/repair/equipment to materials and supplies); and a $3,000 transfer in account 406 (from a "contribution other" line to materials and supplies). The body also approved a request to apply for the West Virginia COSAP (Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Abuse Program) 12-month grant: total request $160,962 with a $20,000 local match.

Commissioners accepted multiple personnel items on the change-of-status list: a new hire recommendation from Michael Withrow, WVU Extension, for Amy Shield as Administrative 1 (effective 04/16/2025, annual salary $32,265); a hire recommendation from Martin Roberts, fire chief, for Sean Stevenson as Firefighter 1 (effective 04/16/2025, annual salary $54,225); and a set of resignation letters including Russell Oliver (peer recovery coach), Joshua Mills (firefighter 1), Rebecca Lewis (call taker trainee) and Caitlin Nalrocki (telecommunicator 2) with the effective dates recorded in the personnel packet.

The commission approved two personal-property/real-estate exonerations for office error totaling $382.18 ($322.54 in personal-property corrections and $59.64 in a real-estate valuation correction). The board also approved a bond release for Table Station Business Park (BCP file number 2408-263; bond number 019045246) on the recommendation of county engineer Doug Smith.

On appointments, the commission approved a reappointment to the ambulance authority (motion to reappoint James Marshall), an appointment shift on the Farmland Protection Board (Fred Johnson moved to a citizen representative seat and Garland Elliott named as the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District representative), reappointment of Lisa Dunn Poland to the Berkeley-Morgan County Board of Health and appointment of Greg James to the Building Permit Advisory Board. A new applicant, Carol Specher, was accepted for interview for the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority.

The commission adopted two proclamations: May 2025 as Community Action Month and April 13–19 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, and accepted the county's FY2023–24 audit, presented by the county administrator and performed by BHM CPA Group, with no audit findings reported.

Votes at a glance • Approval of agenda — approved by voice vote (record: "Ayes have it"). • Consent agenda, including COSAP grant application ($160,962 request; $20,000 local match) — approved. • Personnel changes and change-of-status items (hires/resignations listed in packet) — approved. • Internal budget transfers (three items totaling $13,000 across accounts as described) — approved. • Personal-property/real-estate exonerations ($322.54 and $59.64) — approved. • Bond release for Table Station Business Park (bond #019045246) — approved on recommendation of county engineer. • Appointments and reappointments (ambulance authority, Farmland Protection Board, Board of Health, Building Permit Advisory Board) — approved. • Proclamations for Community Action Month and Public Safety Telecommunicators Week — adopted. • Acceptance of FY2023–24 audit (BHM CPA Group) — accepted; auditors reported no findings.

The meeting later recessed into an executive session on pending legal matters; commissioners announced no action would follow the closed session.