WINFIELD, W.Va. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Putnam County elected officials presented budget requests for Fiscal Year 2026 during TuesdayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Putnam County Commission meeting.
Circuit Clerk Stephanie Smith, Prosecuting Attorney Kris Raynes, Assessor Gary Warner, County Clerk Brian Wood and Sheriff Bobby Eggleton each asked the commission for a 5% across-the-board increase for their employees.
Smith also asked for $500 in additional funds for overtime for her staff, and Raynes requested an additional $6,000 for expert witness services that would help pay for expert witnesses to participate in litigation, as well as experts in psychological and psychiatric issues for pending cases dealing with violent crime, homicide, sexual assaults and fatalities as a result of drunk or impaired driving.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe anticipate several court trials this coming fiscal year, including a high-profile infant homicide and one very intricate multi-victim school bus crash, where we may need and require expert testimony,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Raynes said.
RaynesÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ 5% cost of living increase request would not include those employees who are grant funded, such as victim advocate Marian Smith. Her position is funded with a match from the county commission under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant, so RaynesÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ department is also asking for the addition of a $45,000 annual salary plus the cost of fringe benefits for the victim advocate position.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œAs many changes are coming forward in our federal system due to the streamlining and elimination of different grants and services in the federal government, even before President (Donald) Trump took office, there was a danger that we may lose our entire funding,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Raynes said.
With a decrease in the VOCA grant this year, Raynes said, as a precaution, Marian Smith should be incorporated into the employee budget.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThat would ensure that our county and this office would continue to have the very necessary position of victim advocate and continue services for our victims without an interruption in service,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Raynes said.
In his presentation, Eggleton asked for an increased uniform allowance and an additional home confinement officer.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t do enough home visits because we only have three (officers),ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Eggleton said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHome confinement is an alternative sentencing, and we need to do more visiting and more drug testing. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a minimal cost.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Regarding the sheriffÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s tax office, Eggleton asked commissioners for an increase of $15,000 for system upgrades.
Road project concerns
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Scott Depot resident Gary Jones addressed the commission regarding the Division of Highways (DOH) Teays Valley Road widening project. The DOH presented two options to the public; option one includes a two-way turn lane and additional turn lanes at stoplights. Option two would involve four roundabouts along Teays Valley Road from Great Teays Boulevard to Apple Lane near Scott-Teays Elementary School. Jones asked commissioners for support on option one.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI attended the meeting at the Teays Valley Christian school where the state presented this; I would say probably 70% of the people were against option two,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Jones said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œMy big concern was that the people from the Department of Highways that were there, none of them lived in the valley; as old saying goes, they had no skin in the game.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œSo anything that you all can do, I think most of the residents in Scott Depot would greatly appreciate getting back to what they call option one,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ he continued. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI think their message that it is safer doesnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t hold water. I think if you poll the people in Scott Depot and in the valley, those that use that road, youÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re probably going to find that most of the people are against option two.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
There will be a county transportation committee meeting at 9:30 a.m. Monday, March 31, where the project will also be discussed.
Jones told HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ he thinks the DOH is not taking into consideration the people who live in the area who would be affected.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t think they did a good job of fairly looking through it,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Jones said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe Maplewood area, where one of the roundabouts (would be), floods. One of the civil engineers wasnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t aware of that. So to me, they werenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t prepared. No one from the area was involved in it.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The DOH is seeking comments from the public regarding the project.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI will be sending a comment in, but other than that, I think thereÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s better ways of doing it,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Jones said.
Other business
In other business, the commission approved extending the management of operations agreement between the Putnam County Animal Shelter and the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association (KCHA), for a period extending April 1 to June 30, 2025. It was extended once already this year, from Jan. 1 through March 31 and will be under the same terms and conditions, according to County Attorney Larry Frye.
Commission President Andy Skidmore said the KCHA medical director has benefitted the Putnam shelter.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œOne thing thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s been discussed in the past is the medical director we get through Kanawha-Charleston, so thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s important until we have a solid fit for our county,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Skidmore said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe management and the oversight, thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s great, but the medical part of it is very important to us and worthwhile, and I canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t say enough about Kanawha-Charleston and their willingness to come and help us get our newly transformed shelter up and going.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Commissioners also approved a petition to annex 1.68 acres into the corporate limits of the City of Hurricane. The property in question is an open field adjacent to Chapman Funeral Home in Teays Valley owned by Putnam County Bank to build a new branch bank.
To close the meeting, commissioners went into executive session to discuss a potential development opportunity with Putnam County Development Authority Executive Director Morganne Tenney.
