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Commissioners keep several estates open after heirs raise accounting and notice concerns
Summary
At a March 25 meeting, Monongalia County commissioners held open multiple estates after heirs and estate administrators objected to administrative closures, citing accounting errors, missing records and property-security problems; the commission voted to proceed with other closures while excluding specific estates for further review.
Monongalia County commissioners on March 25 heard objections from multiple heirs and estate administrators and voted to withhold administrative closure for several estates while allowing other listed estates to proceed to closure.
Speakers during the hearing urged the commission to keep individual matters open so outstanding accounting, property and notice issues can be resolved. Bari, who identified herself as an heir to the estate of Edith Virginia Ruth Pari, said she had been told prior work was incorrect and asked that the county require corrected, documented accounting so all heirs can see proper records. Patricia J. Parent Hughes, who identified herself as the executor/administrator for the same estate, said she and counsel were continuing work and asked that the matter remain open.
Wendy Thomas told the commission the Sally S. Thomas estate had not been removed from the administrative-closure list as the commission had ordered previously and asked staff to correct the public record so beneficiaries would not suffer undue hardship. Shannon Johnston asked the commission to keep the estate of Deborah K. Mardle open because distributions and accounting remain unsettled. Roy Albert Winfield Jr. described repeated break-ins, missing mail and alleged identity theft related to the Tina Maria Winfield estate and said those public-safety and documentation issues warranted keeping that estate open. Jeffrey Arnett, administrator for the estate of William Tennant, said heirs had reached a settlement and requested roughly three more months before closing that estate.
After hearing public comment, a commissioner moved that the county clerk's office proceed with administrative closure for the listed estates "as presented, with the exception of" the estates named in public comments (Deborah K. Mardle; Edith Virginia Ruth Pari; William Tennant; and Tina Marie Wilfield). The motion was seconded and carried; one commissioner recused on at least one item. The commission directed staff to correspond with the fiduciary office to determine why the Sally S. Thomas estate remained on the closure list and to correct or update the record as necessary.
The commission did not adopt any new rules regarding fiduciary appointments at the meeting; it instructed staff to follow up with the fiduciary office and to notify heirs as required by existing filing and notice procedures. The commission will consider any corrected orders or additional motions at a future meeting.
Ending: Commissioners said they would work with the clerk's and fiduciary offices to resolve the record-keeping and appointment questions raised during the hearing and will return the separate William Tennant matter to the agenda so the administrator can be present for that vote.
