BUCKHANNON – As Sam Nolte continues to serve as county commission president for the second year, court security is on the top of his to-do list for 2019.
During Thursday’s Upshur County Commission meeting, commissioners voted to select Nolte to serve as president for a second year. Newcomer Kristie Tenney made a motion on Nolte’s selection, followed by a second from Terry Cutright.
“I’m looking forward to trying to continue to get the county in the best financial position possible,” Nolte told My Buckhannon, “and continue to work on making sure our buildings and properties are maintained and kept up to par.”
Looking forward, Nolte has his eye on funding courthouse security.
“That’s been a goal of the commission since last year … and we’ve put that to work with the two part-time security officers, and it’s been helpful,” he said. “It’s definitely been helpful. So, this year, hopefully when we go into budgeting we’ll be able to find the money to fully fund courthouse security.”
“Last year was a little bit of a struggle financially,” Nolte added, “but we managed to put aside some money which was enough to at least get it started.”
Another goal for the coming year is to continue making the county’s resources more accessible to community members.
“With the sheriff’s department, they have made it easier to be able to pay your taxes online; the assessor’s office has made it easier to be able to file your taxes online; and now another resource is you can purchase your dog tags,” he said. “We’re just trying to make everything accessible online, and I think we’re getting there.”
Looking back, Nolte said 2018 was “a pretty smooth” year for the county.
“There’s not really anything that sticks out in my mind that has been a struggle for the county in particular,” he said. “The big thing is just trying to keep up on everything. The county has a lot of moving parts, so just making sure that everything gets its proper attention I think is the key to running any organization, whether it be city, county or state. It’s just keeping an eye on all the moving parts.”
Nolte said he’s also excited to work again with Cutright and now with Tenney.
“Starting my third year as commissioner, I feel I have a better understanding of what needs to happen and how to better manage the county’s money,” he said.
Before adjourning, commissioners also:
- Approved early voting poll workers for the Jan. 19 special school levy election.
- Approved the Board of Review and Equalization (BORE) publication notice; the county commission will sit as the Board of Review and Equalization beginning at 1 p.m. on the first day of February and shall continue until the work is complete, but will adjourn no later than the close of business on Feb. 15.
- Approved the “Request for Bids” for the Upshur County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management LE SIRN Mobile Radio Project. This project consists of purchasing, programming and installing 24 IRP encrypted mobile radios and six vehicle repeaters. All sealed bids must be received no later than 4 p.m. Jan. 22. Sealed bids will be opened, reviewed and read aloud by the commission at 9:15 a.m. Jan. 24.
- Approved Orders of dissolving the Upshur County Citizens Corps Council (CCC) and assuming ownership of all monies, resources and equipment previously purchased, received and utilized by the CCC and releasing the above required monies, resources and equipment previously purchase, received and utilized by the CCC and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to the Upshur County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The UCDHSEM has volunteered to act as the local first responder agency sponsor of CERT. County administrator Carrie Wallace advised the dissolving of the CCC comes after the resignation of three CCC members.
The next Upshur County Commission meeting will be at 9 a.m. Jan. 10.
