Brooke County commissioners accept emergency excavation bid, hire dog warden and approve $126,635 budget revision

The Brooke County Commission met in adjourned session Nov. 7, 2024, at the Brooke County Courthouse and approved a series of routine fiduciary and personnel actions, including acceptance of an emergency excavation bid, a new temporary hire for animal control and a mid-month budget revision.

Commissioner Stacey Wise moved to approve the minutes from Oct. 29, 2024; Commissioner Thomas R. Diserio seconded the motion, which the commission recorded as unanimously passed. President Andrew J. Thomas was listed as absent for the session.

The commission accepted the lone bid for Emergency Call-out services from Keith Yost Excavating, LLC. Commissioner Wise made the motion to accept the bid and Commissioner Diserio seconded; the motion was recorded as unanimously approved. The clerk presented the bid as the only submission received.

Also approved by unanimous vote was the hiring of Jim Andreozzi as a part-time temporary employee to serve as the county dog warden at a starting rate of $22.00 per hour.

An email from Greg Moore, Director EMS/EMA, requesting that Marisa Citka be moved from part-time to full-time starting Dec. 1, 2024, was presented to the commission. Commissioner Wise moved and Commissioner Diserio seconded a motion to TABLE that request pending a budget review; the motion was recorded as unanimously passed.

The Commission approved payment from the All-County Fire Protection Fund to Wellsburg Volunteer Fire Department totaling $3,623.50 for equipment purchases: $2,969.40 payable to Keystone Fire and $654.10 payable to Waterway. That action was approved by motion, second and recorded as unanimous.

The body then approved a Request for Revision to the Approved Budget (Revenues to Expenditures) in the amount of $126,635.00 after a motion from Commissioner Wise and second by Commissioner Diserio; the motion was recorded as unanimously passed.

The clerk reported receipt of minutes from Washington Pike Public Service District (Oct. 28, 2024) and recorded an executive-session item concerning an assessor’s office employee on paid medical leave; the clerk noted that no action was required after the executive session.

The commission approved invoices and vouchers and ordered checks to be written across multiple county funds, including the General County Fund ($196,439.26), Ambulance Service ($116,698.01), Excess Levy ($88,374.17) and other funds listed by the clerk.

Administrative announcements included that the canvass for the Nov. 2024 election will begin Nov. 12 at 9:30 a.m., that the Brooke County Courthouse will be closed Nov. 11 for Veterans Day, and congratulatory recognition for Rachel Roller on passing National and West Virginia paramedic testing.

With no further business, Commissioner Wise moved to adjourn; the motion passed unanimously. Thomas R. Diserio signed the record as Pro-Tem and Kimberly M. Barbetta, Clerk, attested the minutes.

Votes at a glance: approval motions throughout the meeting were recorded as unanimously passed; President Andrew J. Thomas was listed as absent for the session. Where specific roll-call tallies were not recorded in the minutes, outcomes are described as recorded in the official minutes.