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My name is Joshua Hinchman, and I am running for Buckhannon City Council.
I’m a lifelong resident of this community, and I’ve spent my career working in parks, recreation and public service here in West Virginia. I began with West Virginia State Parks as assistant superintendent at Holly River State Park, where I helped oversee the daily operations of an 8,000-acre park that functioned much like its own small community. We maintained miles of electrical distribution lines, operated our own water treatment system, and managed wastewater facilities.
Early in my career, I faced real challenges. A major windstorm caused widespread damage throughout the park, followed shortly by Superstorm Sandy, which brought heavy snow, landslides and long-term power outages. We spent months restoring infrastructure, clearing debris and rebuilding critical systems. During that time, I helped oversee the planning, bidding and construction of major infrastructure improvements, including underground power installation.
I later served as assistant director for the Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission, where I helped oversee five city parks and a recreation center. I was involved in daily operations, budgeting, capital improvements and grant implementation. I also helped oversee community programs like the summer day camp and the transition of the former Elkins Armory into the Phil Gainer Community Center.
Since 2019, I have served as director of Lewis County Park, where I oversee approximately 60 seasonal employees and manage the daily operations of a growing park system. One of the first things I focused on was upgrading outdated lighting throughout the park by finding cost-effective solutions that improved safety and made the park more accessible in the evenings.
Since then, I’ve led several major improvements, including securing funding to re-plaster the community pool, designing and overseeing the installation of a new splash pad, and helping develop and launch the Extreme Adventures mini golf and ropes course. That project involved working with a national design team to create a themed attraction based on locations across West Virginia. Park attendance has increased each year, and we continue to expand programming to better serve the community.
Outside of my professional role, I’ve stayed actively involved in the community. I currently serve on the Buckhannon-Upshur Recreation Advisory Board and previously served as its president. I also led the creation of a community orchard by working with the city to utilize unused property, raising funds, and organizing volunteers to bring the project to life.
I’m running for City Council because I believe our community needs a strong, common-sense voice focused on real solutions. Throughout my career, I’ve been responsible for managing budgets, completing projects and making decisions that directly impact the public. I understand the importance of being fiscally responsible, especially at a time when everyday costs continue to rise.
We have real infrastructure challenges that need to be addressed, including stormwater, water and sewer systems. At the same time, we have to be careful not to place unnecessary financial burdens on residents. I will work to make sure decisions are practical, transparent and in the best interest of the people who live here.
I’m not running for a title—I’m running to make sure residents are heard and that we’re making smart, responsible decisions for the future of Buckhannon.
