By Stephen Smoot
Last week, the Harrison County Commission opened the year 2025 with two major decisions. Commissioners recited the Pledge of Allegiance with Patsy Trecost providing the invocation in which he prayed for the Holy Spirit to “please be a part of our thoughts.”
The first act lay in the Commission voting for Susan Thomas to retain her post as President of that body. Commissioner David Hinkle voted in dissent with no comment.
Next, Commissioners voted to retain the current hours of operation for the County Courthouse and General Services Building. Laura Pysz-Laulis recommended that the Commission retain the current schedule of 8 AM to 4 PM, which it approved.
It then approved the list of scheduled meetings and holidays, as well as County Commissioner appointments for different boards and commissions.
At 10:10, the Commission put a hold on its regular meeting to allow for a planned public meeting concerning the merger of the Lake Floyd Public Service District into Sun Valley. When no one spoke for or against the move, Commissioners closed the meeting.
Before taking the final vote, Hinkle asked county counsel Trey Simmerman if he knew of any legal issues. He responded that he only had a question about the proper legal notices, but the legal threshold for that was met and the West Virginia Public Service Commission notified of the possibility of merger approval.
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve, with the motion amended to include Hinkle’s suggestion of including information shared in the postings so it could be a part of the official record.
According to the text of the Order passed by the Commission, the PSC approved in Nov 2021 that Sun Valley take over operation of Lake Floyd’s sewer infrastructure “in anticipation of the merger of Lake Floyd with Sun Valley.” Additionally, both entities’ public service boards “have determined that it is desirable for Sun Valley to acquire the sewer system and assume the service territory” and that “upon the effective date of the merger, Lake Floyd shall cease to exist.”
After an update on Harrison County Parks and Recreation, Commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding between that body and the Harrison County Development Authority. The latter organization will turn over any funds earned through the sale of property to the Wolf Summit Energy LLC project to the County Commission.
Commissioners also signed a subaward agreement that brings funds from the Appalachian High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area to defer costs incurred by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department in working with HIDTA’s drug interdiction efforts.
In his Commissioners report, Hinkle praised county employees, saying “the last few days, our staff has been very busy trying to clean up around the Courthouse and other buildings, I think they’ve done a great job.”
Trecost shared concerns about some public employees taking advantage of using phone apps to clock in, asking if “geofencing” could be used to make sure that those who clock in do so directly before work while at the facility itself.