The last item listed on the agenda for the Tuesday, December 17, meeting of the Putnam County Commission was a recess for Christmas luncheon to be followed by a resumption of business for the purpose of interviewing candidates to fill the seat on the commission left vacant by the resignation of Steve Deweese on November 30.
Because interviews are conducted during executive session which are closed to the public, the recess effectively ended the meeting. On Wednesday, December 18, the commission reconvened for 3 minutes and 41 seconds to announce that they (Commissioner Andy Skidmore and Commissioner Brian Ellis) were unable to agree upon a single person to fill the vacancy from the 21 applicants interviewed. The failure to reach a consensus will delay filling the empty seat until the Putnam County Republican Executive Committee submits the names of three qualified candidates to the commission (Skidmore and Ellis).
West Virginia State Code does not specify a timeline for a county executive committee to submit the required list of three. Republican Executive Committee Chair Tony Hodge told the Breeze that the committee hoped to present the list before the next scheduled commission meeting on Tuesday, January 14. Hodge said that the list would not be limited to the 21 candidates who had interviewed with the commission. As of Monday, December 30, three additional qualified individuals had expressed the desire that their names be considered. The required list of three may or may not include any of the 21 candidates who interviewed with Skidmore and Ellis.
If unable to agree upon one of the three, each commissioner must eliminate one name from the list of three. The remaining name will serve until November of 2026 when voters will elect a candidate to serve the two years of Deweese’s term.
In business conducted on December 17, the commission approved a low bid of $465,000 from Pillar Innovations to install emergency generators to meet the needs of both the Old Courthouse and the Judicial Building. The commission also approved a bid of $49,500 from BPI Incorporated for renovating the commission courtroom.
The commission voted to end an agreement which calls for the Teays Valley Volunteer Fire Department to respond to 911 center emergency ambulance calls. TVVFD has been answering emergency ambulance calls since June of 2021 but is not staffed with the personnel necessary to continue the service. Emergency ambulance service formerly provided by TVVFD will fall upon the county.
The commission meeting served as a venue for two new Putnam Deputy Sheriffs to take the oath of office. Michael Cole and Colton Ford swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States and of the State of West Virginia, and to execute their duties as Deputy Sheriffs.
Commissioner Andy Skidmore also took the oath of office to serve six more years as a county commissioner. Skidmore was re-elected in the November General Election.
The commission re-appointed Robert Stonestreet to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
The commission will meet January 14, 2025 at 9:00 am and January 28, 2025 at 5:00 pm.