Lawrence County commissioners approve routine contracts, personnel moves and prisoner-housing deal

Lawrence County Commissioners on Jan. 28 approved a series of routine administrative actions, personnel changes and contracts, including a prisoner-housing contract with Monroe County Jail at $75 per inmate per day.

The commission approved meeting minutes from Jan. 21; multiple floodplain permits submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District; appropriations and transfers under $75,000 submitted by Dylan Bentley, acting administrator; and a $1,300 tree-payment for a Chesapeake bypass right-of-way (parcel 23-044-0800.002). Commissioners also approved a collective bargaining contract, an extension of dog-tag sales, multiple personnel changes for county departments and reappointments to the Lawrence County Port Authority.

Why it matters: The package includes recurring administrative actions that enable day-to-day county operations (personnel onboarding, minor appropriations and service contracts) and one inter-county jail contract that creates a short-term housing arrangement for people in county custody.

Key actions voted Jan. 28

- Approve Jan. 21, 2025 meeting minutes — Vote: Commissioner Finley: yes; Commissioner Holiday: yes; Commissioner Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

- Approve floodplain permits submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

- Approve appropriations and transfers dated Jan. 28, 2025 (under $75,000) submitted by Dylan Bentley, acting administrator — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

- Approve Chesapeake bypass ROW tree payment for Lawrence County, $1,300 for parcel 23-044-0800.002 — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

- Approve collective bargaining contract identified in the transcript as "ASK Milagal 890-2," term Jan. 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2027 — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

- Extend dog-tag sales through Feb. 28, 2025 (requested by Denise Paulus, dog warden) — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

- Personnel: Hire Shanna Gaskin as social services supervisor, Lawrence County Department of Job and Family Services, beginning March 3, 2025 — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

- Personnel (Marks County EMS): change David Peer from full-time EMT to full-time advanced EMT; add Tyler Nelson and Courtney Foster as part-time EMTs — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

- Receive and file the December 2024 AMS monthly report (Marks County EMS report transmitted) — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: received and filed.

- Receive correspondence from Patrick Leidy, county engineer, regarding township road 245 East (obstruction) — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: received and filed.

- Approve and sign prisoner-housing contract between the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and Monroe County Jail at $75 per day per person incarcerated at Monroe County Jail — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

- Reappoint Aaron Hyten, Deanna Holiday and Jeff Eastcomb to the Lawrence County Port Authority — Vote: Finley: yes; Holiday: yes; Copley: yes. Outcome: approved.

The commission announced it would move to executive session later in the meeting to discuss legal contracts and real estate. No votes were recorded from the executive session during the livestream portion.

Ending: The approved motions are routine administrative steps that permit county operations to continue; the prisoner-housing contract establishes a short-term inter-county arrangement at a stated daily rate. Commissioners indicated no objections and recorded unanimous votes on the items listed.