BUCKHANNON – The Upshur County Commission on Thursday opted to continue operating as they have been this week since discovering four positive cases of COVID-19 in the courthouse Monday.
Upshur County Administrator Carrie Wallace said the courthouse will continue to be open during their regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday for essential business only — at least until the next commission meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 17.
“It’s essential business, and some offices are requesting that you make appointment, but if you come to the courthouse and you don’t have an appointment and it’s an essential need, they’ll work with you to get an appointment at that time in the office,” Wallace said.
She said essential matters include timely items such as court filings in county magistrate and circuit courts.
“There is some discussion on whether or not the individuals who tested positive would have to have a negative test before they came back to work, and I have that question out to Sue McKisic at the health department now,” Wallace said.
The county commission confirmed Sept. 7 that four positive COVID-19 cases were reported within the courthouse.
“That remains the same,” Wallace said. “There is one additional case in the county that is not a county employee, nor did they contract it at the courthouse, but it is believed to have been contracted from one of our positives.”
As of Friday afternoon, Sept. 11, Wallace confirmed that no addition cases in the courthouse had been identified.
The state Department of Health and Human Resources’ 10 a.m. press release stated as of Friday, Upshur County has 57 total cases, 15 of which are active. However, by 3 p.m. that number had changed, with another case being added by the Upshur-Buckhannon Health Department. A health department representative confirmed to My Buckhannon there are now 58 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county, with one probable case (58/1).
During Thursday’s meeting, Wallace said most people who work within the courthouse have now been tested for COVID-19.
“They left that up to the elected officials’ discretion to determine if their employees were potentially exposed to these positives,” she said. “Of course, anybody can go get tested at any time, but those individuals were definitely tested – basically everybody in the courthouse and annex were tested.”
The commission recommends people try to accomplish any business over the phone or online.
Here’s some helpful county contact information:
- For emergencies: Dial 911
- Assessor: 304-472-4650
- Circuit Clerk: 304-472-2370
- Circuit Court: 304-472-5556 / 304-472-0195
- Commission: 304-472-0535
- County Clerk: 304-472-1068
- E911 Communications Center: 304-472-9550
- Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management: 304-472-4983
- Family Court: 304-472-1065 / 304-269-0432
- Floodplain/Building Permits: 304-472-1673
- Magistrate Clerk: 304-472-2053
- Sheriff’s Department: 304-472-1182
- Tax Office/Fire Fee: 304-472-1180
