County clerk presents expanded civil service annual report to commission

County Clerk Anthony Petrucci and John Alderton, administrative assistant for civil service, presented the Berkeley County Deputy Sheriff Civil Service Commission’s annual report during the March 27 meeting and outlined planned revisions to the commission’s rules and regulations.

Petrucci told commissioners that civil service duties extend beyond elections and recording, and he noted the statutory requirement for an annual report. He cited state code and the commission’s duty to file an annual report for public inspection. Alderton said the 2024 report is substantially more comprehensive than prior reports, and he described plans to complete a full revision of the rules and regulations—last updated September 15, 2021—within 30 to 60 days.

Why it matters: Commissioners said they appreciated the longer, detailed report and emphasized the importance of maintaining a fair, transparent merit-based hiring and promotion process for deputy sheriffs. One commissioner noted the report demonstrated due diligence in hiring, promotions and disciplinary hearings and said those procedures matter to employees and families.

Alderton asked commissioners to help distribute the annual report on the county website and through social media to increase public awareness. The report includes a detailed table of contents and hyperlinks for navigation, the presenters said.

Ending: Commissioners thanked the civil service staff and asked that the annual report be posted for public inspection per West Virginia Code §7-14-6; Alderton encouraged commissioners to visit the civil service office with questions.