KINGWOOD — Preston commissioners elected a new president Thursday and changed the time, day and place of their meetings for 2020.
“Last year it was suggested that we rotate” commissioners as president, said Commissioner Dave Price, who served as president in 2019.
When no one else made a motion, he nominated Commissioner Samantha Stone. He, Stone and Commissioner Don Smith approved the motion, 3-0, with Smith seconding the motion.
“I think from a standpoint of what’s in front of Don (Smith) this year and what the engagement that our new Commissioner Stone has done, if there’s no other nomination, I think that I need to look at each year the needs of the commission and the things that we bring to the table are different,” Price said.
“I would like to see Commissioner Stone bring some things to the table in a different position,” he concluded. Price also wished Smith good luck in his bid for re-election in 2020.
New time, day, place
Commissioners also voted unanimously to move regular meetings from Monday to Tuesday. The start time for those meetings will be earlier, too: 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month and 9 a.m. on all other Tuesdays.
There are quarterly exceptions. On the Tuesday mornings each quarter when the Greater Morgantown Convention and Visitors Bureau meets, meetings will begin at 10:30 a.m. so Smith can attend the CVB meetings.
“Looking at the calendar, by moving your meeting to Tuesday, that eliminates the need to reschedule five meetings because of the holidays” on Mondays, County Administrator Kathy Mace said.
As discussed by commissioners at a work session in December and previously reported from Jan. 13 until Dec. 31, 2020, commissioners will meet in the office area on the second floor of the annex.
Commissioners are giving their regular meeting space over to the county clerk to use as a secure space where election machines can be stored and programmed.
This is instead of the county renting space for the machines. Commissioners plan to use the year to work with an architect on plans to build on county property, possibly by the 911 center.
Notices and agendas of meetings will be posted on the bulletin board at the rear entrance of the annex. They are also available online at prestoncountywv.gov.
Hours of operation will remain the same for the annex: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays and 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. However, they will change at the courthouse to 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Holidays and more
The commission approved 17 holidays for county employees for 2020. Any others declared by the governor will also be observed.
The holidays are Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Feb. 17, Presidents’ Day; May 12, primary election; May 25, Memorial Day; June 19, West Virginia Day; July 3, Independence Day; Sept. 7, Labor Day; Sept. 25, Buckwheat Festival; Oct. 12, Columbus Day; Nov. 3, general election; Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day; Nov. 26, Thanksgiving; Nov. 27, Lincoln’s Day; noon Dec. 24, Christmas Eve; Dec. 25, Christmas; noon Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve; Jan. 1, 2021, New Year’s Day.
Re-appointments to committees were also made. Price will continue to serve on the 911 Advisory Committee, Local Emergency Planning Commission, Preston County FEMA Board and Clean-Up Committee.
Smith will serve on the Preston County Solid Waste Authority, Region VI Planning and Development Council, Community Corrections Board of Directors and Greater Morgantown Convention and Visitors Bureau Board.
And Stone will serve on the Preston County Economic Development Authority Board, Farmland Protection Board, WorkForce West Virginia Board of Directors and the Extension Service Board.
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