By Stephen Smoot
“We thank You for those who follow Your lead and serve,” prayed Commissioner Patsy Trecost during the customary invocation. He ended with “and in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”
After Commissioners followed up with the Pledge of Allegiance, they heard from Grerg Dale, representing Hillside Church Academy. He thanked Commissioners for working with him in their tax dispute with the Harrison County Assessor’s office. In 2024, their building originally constructed for commercial use was taxed as such. Dale provided evidence that the facility in that year housed a school, which should be under non profit status.
He shared that some school buildings closed and repurposed for other uses had still not found their way onto the tax rolls, but their school had to pay.
Next, a representative from the United States Small Business Administration came to share information about programs to help businesses and non profits affected by last summer’s flooding. She provided a number to call for more information, 1 (800) 659-2955.
Next, Commissioners and staff took time to honor the retirement of Mike Book from Parks and Recreation. Depending on who one asked, he started work in either 1977 or 1977. He stated that he was “very proud of the programming, especially for kids and families.”
Laura Pysz-Laulis, Harrison County Administrator, read her own statement, calling Book “such a pleasure to work with” and praised his “remarkable legacy.”
Commissioners then discussed how to disentangle the County government from its role in the collapse of the Royal Chrysler building onto Route 19 near Shinnston, as well as its effect on a nearby residence. Trecost noted that the Commission should “step away . . . as a governing body” from a situation that, at the time, they noted, was not a County issue.
Due to the emergency, the Commission stepped in to serve as a catalyst for quick action, taking on a financial role in the process.
In response to a question from Commissioner David Hinkle, Pysz-Laulis explained that monies paid out by the Commissioner would be recouped from the state. The holdup lies with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection having no legal mechanism to reimburse Harrison County as of yet.
Trecost made a motion to both “step away” and also continue to work to obtain the recouping approximately $79,000 worth of funds in a timely fashion. Hinkle added by saying he wanted to avoid “a deep dark hole” of an issue while Trecost said “we went above and beyond” what a county government would normally do. All voted to approve.
In reference to the sometimes prickly debates that occur between the two, Hinkle laughed and said “I want the paper to note that I agreed with Commissioner Trecost.”
And it did so.
Commissioners then took up the discussion of disbursing $306,000 in opioid funds to worthy County organizations. Both Trecost and Hinkle had ideas of who should continue to receive support and favored sending a portion of the funds to them now and saving some in reserve for others.
Harrison County Commission President Susan Thomas favored waiting until the initial meeting in December and giving organizations that had not participated before an opportunity to provide an official request for funding. Trecost and Hinkle agreed that two weeks’ wait would not adversely affect the organizations they had in mind.
Another major discussion centered around proposed bridges on the Rail Trail over the West Fork River and Limestone Creek. This came up as part of an agenda item concerning a contract with the State over the $1.3 million bridge for the Rail Trail.
Hinkle questioned County Attorney Trey Simmerman and other officials to determine if federal guidelines related to the congressionally directed spending award obligated the County to perform work on the Trail beyond the bridge.
The County has $800,000 in place dedicated solely to that project and the discussion originated over sending $288,800 to the West Virginia Department of Highways to start the project. Once satisfied, Hinkle joined other Commissioners in voting to approve.
Commissioners also heard a proposal from the Probation Office requesting more space. Officials detailed the effects of supervised probation in addition to a large mass of sexual offenders coming out of prison, but requiring lifetime supervision. The proposal included speculation on the need for significantly more officers, as well as space for them to work.
Hinkle raised the question of how to pay for an agency with an ever-increasing need for more space in County buildings. “When does the State step up and where does the County draw the line?” he asked, then added “sixteen private offices are nothing we can afford.” After officials stated a need for privacy to work with offenders. Trecost supported Hinkle’s position and noted that other counties must face the same issue.
Hinkle repeatedly asserted that he took no issue with those administering or working in the Probation Office, but called on the State of West Virginia to do more to help cash strapped counties.
He also told Probation Office authorities that “I’m looking for you to give us a breath” to take some time and figure out a solution.