The Clay County Commission met for its first regular July meeting on Monday July 13 with all three commissioners in attendance. Commission President Joyce Johnson and Commissioner Duane Legg were physically present, while Commissioner David Schoolcraft was present by telephone. Shelia Stone, County Clerk, was present as recorder.
Continuing the Summer trend, the meeting was mostly routine county business, but one thing was notably different when you walked into the room. The commission chamber had gotten a makeover. In the nearly ten years I have been reporting on these meetings, first for CAEZ of WV, Inc. and then for the Clay County Free Press, I have seen a number of small changes. The coffee pot and refreshment stand disappeared ages ago. Gone later on were the copiers. Relics from a bygone era. But entering into the chamber this Monday I was totally stunned. New carpet. More. New chairs in four and a half rows. Gone are the old benches which were probably there from the days the New County Courthouse first opened. I knew the courtroom upstairs had gotten new carpet and chairs as a result of water damage from a leak in the roof. It had been covered by insurance.
So before the meeting even started, I asked the commission and Commissioner Johnson replied, “There was enough insurance money to cover both rooms with the quote we got.” So Christmas came early this year. After the meeting I went upstairs and got Circuit Clerk Claressa Hanshaw to let me into the courtroom so that I could take photos, and you too can see this amazing new courtroom look.
Among the routine business at this meeting the commission approved: minutes from the previous meeting, minutes from the Clay PSD and the financial report, bills, purchase orders, budget revisions, erroneous assessments as provided by the Assessor, fiduciary appointments as presented by the County Clerk, including appointments of administratrix, last wills and testaments, affidavits and waivers of final settlements of estates.
The commission appointed Renee Holcomb to the Clay County Solid Waste Authority and approved the hiring of Erica Woods as an Assessor office temp.
While Terry Martin was not present, the commission approved a Big Otter/Nebo/Walker Road Extension Resolution invoice for a little over $106K. They also approved the Salary Schedule for all Elected Officials. This is a big deal. For a number of years now, county employees haven’t gotten a raise of any kind because of the outstanding jail bill.
The commission heard a request from Amanda Bevins of Bevins Recycling Inc. to expand their business into salvage and perhaps industrial waste. “Bevins Recycling Inc. requests the support and approval from the Clay County Commission to begin accepting ferrous metals at a new Maysel location which will be an expansion project of recycling efforts currently in operation.” Amanda continued, “By broadening the organizations material acceptance from non-ferrous materials, we support the efforts to reroute recyclable, industrial waste from residential and commercial properties. Our current operations have already removed hundreds of tons of recyclable waste, improved the landscape and supported economic and tourism development in our county. We appreciate the consideration of the Commission.” The Commission took up the matter for consideration.
Clay county residents will get their real and personal property tax notices some time after the fifteenth of this month. 2027-2027 Dog tags are already available and the Rabis Shot clinic sponsored annually at the courthouse will be scheduled sometime in September or October. Watch for details.
The next Clay County Commission meeting will be on Monday July 27 at 9:00 a.m.
