Fulton County commissioners approve hires, grant agreement, pay changes and vendor invoices

FULTON COUNTY — The Fulton County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a series of routine personnel, financial and contract actions, including hiring a Domestic Relations enforcement officer, executing a multi‑county drug and alcohol grant agreement, and adopting updates to the county pay scale and employee benefits policy.

Commissioner Randy H. Bunch, chairman, opened the meeting at 8:00 a.m. and led a brief prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. No members of the public made comments during the meeting.

Interim County Treasurer Amy Bishop presented the financial report for the month ending Dec. 31, 2025. Following the report, the board approved accounts payable dated Jan. 13, 2026, in the total amount of $135,622.38, with $66,644.09 charged to the General Fund and $64,720.44 to Capital Projects. Commissioner Hervey P. Hann moved to approve the payments; the motion carried unanimously.

On personnel matters, Domestic Relations Director Tina Gress asked the board to fill a vacant Enforcement Officer 1 position. Commissioner Randy H. Bunch moved to hire Angie Horton to the union position, effective Jan. 26, 2026; the Salary Board set compensation under the collective bargaining agreement. The board approved the hire unanimously.

The commissioners approved a 2025–2030 Franklin/Fulton Grant Agreement (No. 4100101172) that designates Franklin County to act as the single county authority for the operation and administration of the Drug & Alcohol Program shared between the two counties. Executive Development Director Julie Dovey presented the agreement; Commissioner Bunch moved to approve and execute it.

Human Resources Administrator Mary Huston presented the 2026 pay scale, which the board adopted. The board also approved an amendment to the HR Manual, Section 212 — Employee Benefits — to add an opt‑out payment for eligible employees who waive county health insurance. The provision sets a pro‑rated maximum payment of $1,020 per calendar year ($85 per month); payment will be made with the final December payroll or upon resignation, and employees must leave in good standing to receive it.

The board approved several vendor payments and renewals, including a CCAP PCoRP invoice (second installment) for $45,442.00 and a SAP&DC invoice for $8,598.00. Commissioners also approved a renewal quote for ASPIRE two‑factor authentication as submitted by Rick Grissinger of Elect IT.

Commissioner Hann moved to approve an application for burial expenses for veteran Floyd G. McGinnis, who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1968; payment was authorized to his surviving spouse, Janet McGinnis.

The board revised the county’s Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) application to read, "Inspection by Zoning Officer or Fulton County Planning," and accepted Ronald Richards as the real estate agent to list county property at 119 N. 2nd Street in McConnellsburg, with Richards’ quoted commission set at 3% of the sale price.

Throughout the meeting the commissioners convened several executive sessions to discuss personnel matters; the sessions were recorded in the minutes with entry and exit times but no further actions beyond those noted above. The meeting adjourned at 11:33 a.m.

Votes at a glance - Entered executive session (legal matters) 8:00 a.m.; exited 8:30 a.m. — approved (unanimous) - Approve Jan. 6, 2026 reorganizational minutes (Commissioners, Salary Board, Retirement Board) — approved (unanimous) - Approve accounts payable $135,622.38 — approved (unanimous) - Hire Angie Horton, Enforcement Officer 1, effective Jan. 26, 2026 — approved (unanimous) - Approve Franklin/Fulton Grant Agreement #4100101172 — approved (unanimous) - Approve 2026 Certification of County Funds — approved (unanimous) - Notify organizations to apply for hotel/motel tax funding once 4th quarter payment received — approved (unanimous) - Adopt 2026 pay scale and Health Insurance Waiver language (Section 212 opt‑out payment) — approved (unanimous) - Approve CCAP PCoRP invoice $45,442.00 — approved (unanimous) - Approve burial expenses for veteran Floyd G. McGinnis, payment to Janet McGinnis — approved (unanimous) - Approve ASPIRE 2‑factor authentication renewal — approved (unanimous) - Revise LERTA application language — approved (unanimous) - Approve SAP&DC Invoice $8,598.00 — approved (unanimous) - Accept Ronald Richards as real estate agent for 119 N. 2nd Street at 3% commission — approved (unanimous)

Next steps: Several items are procedural or administratively actionable (vendor payments, HR manual update, agent appointment). The Franklin/Fulton grant agreement will require Franklin County to act as single county authority under the terms of Agreement #4100101172. No votes were recorded as opposed or amended during the meeting.