Featured, Meetings

Commission Awards Bid to Build New Annex

    After taking care of the routine items of business on April 20 2021, at their Regular Meeting, Shawn Glaspell, Clinton Means and Ronnie Travis, the Doddridge County Commission, chose Fairchance, from Uniontown, PA, to build the new Doddridge County Courthouse Annex. 

   Fairchance’s bid of $10,125,000 was the lowest bid for the ~ 32,000 sq ft building 

   Construction will begin around Memorial Day after the contracts are written, signed, the insurance and bond are completed with an end date of the construction estimated being in 16 months. 

   The Annex will house the offices of the Sheriff, County Commission, County Clerk, Assessor and other smaller offices which fall under the County’s control.

   Under Public Comment: Clinton Means and Ronnie Travis both spoke about how nice the weather had been and asked for prayers for the Country. 

   Shawn Glaspell agreed, and spoke to Patricia Harris concerning her being in attendance. She indicated she believed she was to be on the agenda to discuss the Old Hotel. Both agreed to place her on the next agenda. 

   The Commissioners approved the Laying of the Property Tax Rates at 14.3 % for the regular tax rate, up from 14.1% from last year and the Excess Levy Rate at 2.25%.  

   The 2018 Fiscal Year Financial Statement was approved for publication.

   The Commissioners spoke to the staff that was present concerning the COVID policies. The staff indicated the change was going well. 

   Betsy Shaw, Assistant Prosecutor noted that Court will reopen for regular session beginning May 1st. She also indicated that if Court employees were fully immunized against COVID, they were allowed to leave the State without quarantining when they return. 

   Under “Consideration of Purchase of Computer for PSD” the PSD representatives indicated the computer had already been purchased at the price of $480.00. The Commissioners approved the purchase. 

   Jennifer Wilt and Dave Kimble addressed the agenda item,  “PSD Board Members – Consideration of Organizational Structure”, indicating the agenda item concerned personnel and requested to go into executive session. The Commissioners went into executive session at 6:10PM and returned to regular session at 6:43PM. No decisions were made at this time. 

   Jennifer Wilt spoke to the agenda item “PSD – Consideration of Funding Sources”. She informed the Commission that the Blandville water project came in at $416,000 over budget. She indicated this was to be a 50/50 match with a grant source and thinks that $208,000 will be all the Commission would be responsible for. Ronnie Travis made the motion to approve up to $416,000 for this project. 

   George Eidel  presented one Floodplain Permit Application to the Commission. Mountain Valley Pipeline, #21-594 – Big Isaac Rd. at Meathouse Fork a permit renewal.  

   Eidel then presented the OES Report  beginning with the law enforcement run report,  no vaccination clinics for this week, he had toured the new MPLX Plant, a large shipment of PPE had arrived, he was working with Frontier concerning the INTERNET problems at McClellan VFD. He also indicated that the Center Point Library had approved for McClellan VFD to send their reports from the Library. 

   Eidel was asked if the County’s VFDs had received their funding from the State. He indicated tat McClellan had problems due to the INTERNET but all of the others were fine. 

   Neal Romain, DCAA, Reported:  the balance in the Primary Checking is $$!63m489.20; The FUND balance is $303,959.96 and the income to date for April is $20,351.37.

   After Glaspell recused himself, Commissioners Means and Travis opened the one bid received to provide the lawn care for the old West Union Grade School/Sheriff’s office.  The bid from DDA Leggett, Jennifer Leggett owner, at $125.00 per round was approved by Means and Travis.  

   The Commission approved a $70,189.00 in-house budget Revision and a $2,000 State Budget Revision moving money from the Commission to the PSD account. 

   Forty-two Exonerations were read by Glaspell and approved. 

   The meeting was adjourned after the signing of the invoices with the next meeting ti be May4, 2021 at 9AM.