Barbour County

The meeting included the proclamation of January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and the proclamation of January 2026 as Stalking Awareness Month. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to presenting the Barbour County Sheriff's Department's year-end activity report for 2025. The report detailed staff structure, general calls for service (totaling 8,112), case reports (532, including 185 car wrecks), and statistics for specialized divisions such as Animal Control (524 documented calls, 11 animal bites), School Resource Officer duties (27 crisis intervention/suicide cases, seven felonies including terroristic threats and assault with a weapon), and the Drug Task Force. Discussions also covered the complexities of asset forfeiture involving cash, vehicles, and property confiscated during drug operations, including issues related to renters, co-owners, and ongoing litigation.

The meeting began with a moment of silence requested for support of the National Guard and West Virginia guardsmen. Key discussions included the approval of minutes and exonerations for two estates (Clifford Leo Wilmouth and Billy Joe Everson). The commission addressed an appointment request from Century VA PSD, appointing Michael Rella as secretary. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a contribution request from the Barbour County American Legion Post 44 for a plaque honoring World War II and one World War I veteran, resulting in the allocation of $1,000. Finally, the commission discussed the City of Beington water filter replacement project, determining eligibility for IGC funding and agreeing to allocate $25,000 from CO reallocation to cover the funding gap if the grant is secured.

The emergency meeting was called to order to consider emergency repairs on the sheriff's department annex. Discussions centered on selecting a contractor and deciding whether to replace only one HVAC unit or replace both the furnace and the associated AC unit. After comparing quotes, particularly regarding warranty differences (e.g., lifetime heat exchanger warranty on the Train brand versus others), the Commission voted to proceed with the contract to Andy's Heating for a Train Furnace and AC unit in the amount of $11,400, favoring the proposal that offered superior long-term warranty coverage.

The Barbour County Commission held a work session to review a lawyer's interpretation of multiple past deeds of the fairgrounds property as deeded from Gordon and Melbina Poston to the county. The discussion included details about the original purchase price, restrictions on the property, and rights retained by the Poston family, including mineral rights. The commission also discussed the potential for promoting the fairgrounds and the county as a whole, including the possibility of hosting special events and collaborating with the parks and recreation department.

The commission discussed several items, including exonerations and estate settlements, with final approvals for six settlements. A proclamation was made for National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. The hiring of Miss Hannah Malo for the prosecutor's office was formally approved. The cancellation of an agreement with Champion Outpost Solutions for printing services for the Sheriff's Tax Office was approved to save costs. The commission also discussed a contribution request from the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for their Christmas program, ultimately donating $2,500. Additionally, a request for funding was presented for the city of Millington's water filter replacement project.