Pendleton County commissioners approve assessor supplement, authorize drone replacement and name Hickory Haven Lane

Pendleton County commissioners on Nov. 18 approved a $15,000 supplement for the county assessor to compensate for additional duties required under West Virginia law, authorized the purchase of a replacement drone for Emergency Services and named a new road Hickory Haven Lane, according to county meeting minutes.

The actions were taken during a regular meeting at the Pendleton County Courthouse. Commissioner Roger Dahmer moved several of the measures; votes recorded in the minutes were unanimous.

The commission approved the supplement for Assessor Sandie Smith after the office completed duties required under West Virginia Code §7-7-6a. The minutes state the supplement amount as $15,000 and note the motion passed on Dahmer’s motion with a unanimous vote.

Rick Gillespie, the county’s Emergency Services Coordinator, told the commission that recent fires in the county have subsided and that an estimate to repair the county’s drone was nearly as much as buying a new unit. An insurance claim has been filed; the commission advised staff to proceed with purchasing a new drone rather than repairing the damaged unit.

Diana Mitchell, the 911 director, presented a road-name request for a new road across from the 911 Center. The commission voted unanimously to name the new road Hickory Haven Lane.

On the same motion agenda, the commission voted to table consideration of a proposed 911 Fee Ordinance; the minutes record that Dahmer moved to table the ordinance and the vote was unanimous. The minutes do not record further detail about the ordinance’s provisions or when it will be revisited.

Other items on the agenda included reports that Annex construction is progressing without major issues (work noted on creating a basement entrance and window installation), and that Mike Alt is awaiting cost estimates for a new ambulance. Alt also reported that firefighting activities revealed several cabins that may not appear in assessor records; he said he would check with the Assessor’s Office to determine whether the properties are on file.

Annie Humes, director of the Pendleton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, thanked Commissioner Dahmer for attending a Franklin community meeting and noted that the state Department of Arts, Culture and History is offering an America 250 Mural Project grant of $5,000 to each county that applies to support a mural promoting the state.

The minutes show the commission reviewed employee timesheets and the sheriff’s financial statement for October 2025, approved appointments made by the county clerk during the commission’s vacation (including estate-related appointments and settlements), approved several fund disbursements across county accounts, and adjourned until Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025.

Meeting minutes list participants and staff present, including Commissioners Carl Hevener and Roger Dahmer; Elise White, county clerk; Karen Pitsenbarger, county administrator; Rick Gillespie, Emergency Services Coordinator; Diana Mitchell, 911 Director; Annie Humes, CVB Director; Sandie Smith, Assessor; and others. The minutes do not include verbatim quotes.