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Buckhannon council offers conditional hire to Cole Bender and reinstates Dylan Major
Summary
At a March 3 special meeting, the Buckhannon City Council voted to offer conditional employment to certified candidate Cole William Bender pending background and medical checks, and accepted the Police Civil Service Commissionrecommendation to reinstate certified officer Dylan Major. Vote tallies were not specified.
Buckhannon City Recorder Randall H. Sanders called a special meeting of the Buckhannon City Council to order at 1:00 p.m. on March 3, 2025, and opened with a moment of silent reflection and the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Robert N. Skinner III was listed as absent on the meeting roster.
Council convened an executive session under West Virginia Code § 6-9A-4 to address personnel matters, including interviews for probationary police officer positions and a recommendation from the Police Civil Service Commission regarding the reinstatement of Dylan Major. The written interview schedule recorded three in-person candidate interviews: Cole William Bender (1:00–1:45 p.m.), Jason Alan Kelley (1:45–2:30 p.m.) and Ethan Thomas Dowling (2:30–3:15 p.m.).
Council Member David Thomas moved, with Council Member Pam Bucklew seconding, to convene into executive session; the motion carried. After the executive session the council reconvened to regular session at 3:10 p.m. on a motion by Bucklew, seconded by Rob Zuliani; the motion carried.
In open session, Council Member Scott Randall moved and Council Member Jack Reger seconded a motion to offer conditional employment as a probationary police officer to Cole William Bender, who the minutes identify as a currently certified law enforcement officer. The offer is explicitly contingent on a positive background investigation, a psychological evaluation, a medical physical and a drug test. The motion carried; the transcript does not record individual vote tallies or dissenting statements.
The council also voted to accept the Police Civil Service Commissionrecommendation to reinstate certified law enforcement officer Dylan Major to a position as a Buckhannon police officer. The motion was made by Council Member David Thomas, seconded by Council Member Pam Bucklew, and recorded as "Motion carried." The minutes do not specify the effective date of reinstatement or any accompanying conditions beyond the commissionrecommendation.
There were no roll-call vote counts recorded in the meeting minutes; all motions are noted in the transcript as "Motion carried." The meeting was adjourned at 3:12 p.m.
Next steps for the conditional hire include completion of the listed background, psychological and medical clearances. The minutes do not indicate a start date for Bender or an effective date for Major's reinstatement, nor do they show any additional discussion or public comment during the special session.
