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Monongalia County Commission approves hires, grants use permits and EMS training funding; public raises truck routing concerns
Summary
The Monongalia County Commission on Jan. 29 approved a package of personnel hires, a facility‑use waiver, $8,000 for EMS crisis‑response training and accepted a board resignation; a public commenter urged action on truck routing along River Road.
The Monongalia County Commission on Jan. 29 approved a package of routine personnel actions, a facility use waiver for a nonprofit event, funding for first‑responder mental‑health training and accepted a board resignation. During the public‑comment period a River Road volunteer firefighter urged the commission to pursue signage and routing changes to keep large trucks out of a narrow stretch of River Road.
Votes at a glance • Personnel hires: The commission approved multiple hires including a full‑time dog warden position for Carl Buckner (starting Feb. 5 at $33,500 annually, six‑month probation, benefit‑eligible), a part‑time seasonal tubing‑hill attendant for Chestnut Ridge Park (Virgil Layman, $12 per hour, no benefits), and a full‑time tax deputy (Briston Forker, $2,916.67 per month, benefits eligible). All motions to hire were approved by voice vote.
• EMS training funding: The commission approved an $8,000 request to access crisis‑response funding from the West Virginia Legislature’s EMS salary‑enhancement fund to support a two‑day training program. Meeting remarks referenced a focus on EMS mental‑health, mindfulness and resiliency training. The transcript contains conflicting references to the number of seats (a speaker said “50,” another voice replied “25”); the commission approved the $8,000 request as presented.
• Facility use: The commission granted a waiver of facility fees for the West Virginia Land Trust and the Mon River Trails Conservancy to use the Camp Monthly Dining Hall and Pavilion 3 free of charge for the BlueJean Ball event on April 12, 2025.
• Appointments and resignations: The commission accepted the resignation of Russ Benasso from the Deckers Creek Public Service District board and approved the reappointment of Lisa Vinton (now Lisa Sanders) to the Mason Dixon Historical Park Advisory Board.
• Consent items and vouchers: The commission approved the consent agenda, which included multiple vouchers and fiduciary orders listed in the clerk’s packet. No budget revisions were presented.
Public comment: truck routing and emergency access William “Mickey” Reinhart, assistant chief of the River Road Fire Department, told commissioners that large trucks exiting a nearby industrial park have been traveling down River Road toward a low railroad trestle at Louisville, getting “hung up” and creating hazards for emergency access. Reinhart said some truck drivers ignore signage and that the problem has blocked access to the fire station and damaged driveways. A commissioner asked Reinhart to email Administrator Reneta McClure so staff could forward the complaint to the local Department of Highways (DOH) and explore signage or other mitigations.
Other correspondence and reports Commissioners acknowledged resident complaints about missed trash pickup in several neighborhoods; staff said the reports would be forwarded to the county’s contractor, Republic. County commissioners and staff also reported on Chestnut Ridge Park’s successful tubing weekend and thanked parks staff and first responders for recent emergency response work.
All votes referenced above passed by voice vote; two commissioners were present at the meeting and one commissioner was absent.
