MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — It was a short meeting for the Berkeley County Commission Thursday, but a lot of ground was covered. Commissioner HD Boyd gave a quick update about the Roundhouse HVAC system. “Things are moving along down there,” Boyd said. “The Merry Makers Market is doing well on the weekends.”
Boyd described an issue with the HVAC system. “The original install didn’t pass code and they’ve been back and forth working on it,” He said the work was supposed to be done the previous week, but that work is going to take a bit more time. “When they ran the electric, they didn’t put it in conduit or do the wrapped wire. So they were supposed to come back and switch it and they’ve been working on it but it’s just really dragging out.”
Commissioner John Hardy gave an update on work being done by the county’s water department in the Woods community.
“Berkeley County Water’s doing a great job up there. They’ve been finding a lot of leaks and they’ve they’ve been working diligently,” Hardy said, adding they are looking into adding more water. “The test wells that are being done in the south end of the county are getting started.”
No action was required for either of those updates. Commissioner Jim Whitacre talked about Santa’s visit to the local airport this week.
“I was actually lucky enough to see Santa make a preview or early entrance at the airport last night,” adding there were a couple hundred families on hand to see Santa fly in on a helicopter.
“It was pretty impressive,” Whitacre said. “It was a great turnout. I think last year they had about 500 people show up and probably pretty close to the same this year.”
“He gets around,” one of the commissioners remarked of Santa. “Yes he does,” Whitacre said. “He stopped here on his way back to the pole before before he commences on Christmas Eve.
The Santa fly in occurred December 10th at the Eastern Regional Airport.
Commission Vice President Steve Catlett, in his report, said there is a problem brewing at Berkeley Senior Services regarding benefits.
“Yesterday, I had a senior service meeting,” Catlett said. “They’ve got a little crisis going on there with employee health insurance. They have been with the state’s PEIA program for years and with the changes they’re making in that program, we’re really at a a loss right now for how we’re going to provide health insurance for the employees at senior services,” Catlett said, calling it a “real dilemma.”
“Not only for agencies like the health department, like the senior services, but also a lot of small counties in the state are going to face the same dilemma as well.
No action was taken at the meeting. The Public Employee’s Insurance Agency (PEIA) has been a subject of conversation statewide following a listening tour and this week’s decision by the PEIA Finance Board for a 3 percent aggregate premium increase and an increased spousal surcharge.
Berkeley County Commission President Eddie Gochenour talked about the prayer vigil held last week in South Berkeley for Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe who was critically injured in the line of duty the day before Thanksgiving.
“Friday night I had the privilege of attending a prayer vigil for Jason Wolfe’s son Andy at the Musselman High School,” said Gochenour.
“The South Berkeley community came together. The governor was there and we appreciate the governor and his remarks.”
Gochenour also organized a previous vigil held for first responders in Martinsburg on Wednesday during which SSgt. Andrew Wolfe’s father Jason spoke.
The family is reporting remarkable progress and continues to ask for prayers for SSgt. Wolfe.
This story based on coverage of the Berkeley County Commission Meeting December 11th by Panhandle News Network reporter Clint Gaige.
