By Hannah Heishman
The Hardy County Commission met for a regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 9 a.m. The schedule was as close to ‘normal’ as theirs gets, with no major issues to discuss.
Paul Lewis, director of the Office of Emergency Operations and the 911 center, updated the Commission.
He noted the Helmick Rock tower has required two new circuit boards “in the last few months. “I am not sure if that site has taken a lightning hit or not,” he said.
The Lost City Tower road still needs repaired, and once that’s complete he’ll get a fence installed around the site.
In August, the 911 Center handled 636 calls.
The Hardy County Sheriff’s Office had 303 calls; Moorefield Police had 157; and the W.Va. State Police had 49 calls. There were 12 calls for the Department of Natural Resources, but Hardy County does not have an officer assigned.
West Hardy EMS responded to 109 calls. Hardy County Emergency Ambulance Authority had 80 calls, and Wardensville Volunteer Rescue Squad had 24.
The Moorefield Volunteer Fire Department had 33 calls; Mathias/Baker VFD had 13; and Capon Valley VFD had 3 calls.
Steven Schetrom, Commission President, asked about updates to the memorandum of understanding with Rockingham County, regarding Rockingham County first responders assisting in the Mathias area.
There was a meeting planned with first responders in Bergton later that day.
Roger Vacovsky, representing HCEAA, said the meeting with Rockingham County was “promising” for Hardy County.
Wardensville Volunteer Rescue Squad got a four-year license renewal, he said, and recognized Derek Alt and Nathan Kesner from HCEAA for operating “diligently” within the approved budget.
He said HCEAA dropped 12 calls in July, which meant the calls had to be covered by other agencies. In August, they dropped six calls.
“When there’s three calls in 45 minutes across the area, there’s nothing (HCEAA) can do,” Vacovsky said.
Vacovsky said HCEAA runs a full crew in Baker with a paramedic in Wardensville, and Wardensville provides volunteers as they are able. The medic responds in a chase vehicle.
He said it would be better to have two full crews, and has asked Alt and Kesner to recruit as many part-timers as possible.
Commissioner Jay Fansler asked about pay-per-call, or PPC. Vacovsky said he is “good with it,” but expressed concerns about staying within budget constraints.
Generally, when EMS runs PPC, a crew is on duty, but only paid for calls they run. If there are no calls during the shift, they aren’t paid.
Vacovsky acknowledged he’d, “like to grow into something more” in Mathias, which has an extended wait for EMS response. He also said Wardensville has done everything in their power to cover calls.
“We’re living within the budget that was set,” Schetrom said. He is also the acting president of the HCEAA board.
“We hear voices that don’t make any sense,” Schetrom said. “HCEAA is working within the budget that was set. It should’ve been comprehended that this was the path that was set.”
Schetrom brought up the ambulance fee, saying they needed to make the proposed ambulance fee hike public before public hearings. Commissioner David Workman said there are, “a couple of changes we need to make to that ordinance,” and proposed holding at least one work session.
The work session was scheduled for Sept. 10, and the ambulance fee ordinance update was tabled.
Hardy County Health Department administrator Bill Ours said he didn’t have a lot of health department news, but did share an update from the Committee on Aging: He has a proposed 10-year lease for the Fresenius dialysis center. It’s being legally reviewed, and if approved, he’ll sign it.
It will still take a few months to get the center up and running, Ours said.
Ours said the Health Department will have flu shots in mid-October, as well as the new COVID shots. He said not everyone is eligible, and he will not order them until enough people are on a list to receive it.
Ours advises the public to contact the Health Department about receiving the COVID vaccine.
Sheriff Steve Dawson talked about an Aug. 27 conference in Elkins, where the the Drug Task Force, Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, and Moorefield Police Department were all recognized for their efforts.
Dawson commended the Commission for their support, and law enforcement officers and citizens for assistance.
“It all goes together to successfully identify the criminal enterprises going on in our area,” Dawson said.
Commissioners approved holding second monthly meetings on third Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in their chambers, through December 2025.
Tammy Davy, Chief Tax Deputy, approached the Commission to approve a tax refund to the owner of an AirBnB. AirBnB took the taxes out of customers’ payments, but the owner also paid them herself.
The Commission approved a refund of $6,435.35.
Commissioners asked her if money collected from the ambulance fees would be deposited the same as taxes, and if the tax office would have any issues.
Davy said the only issue would be the same as with taxes: Overload. She said it will cause a backlog to do both. Schetrom noted it for discussion during the work session.
“Be simpler if (the ambulance fee) was a levy,”Fansler said. Davy agreed: “I tried to tell people.”
The Commission accepted and signed on to participate in another national opioid lawsuit and settlement.
County Coordinator Wendy Branson said renovations are complete at the dog pound. She said eight dogs were picked up in August; two were reclaimed; Potomac Highlands Animal Rescue took seven dogs; and there are currently 15 dogs at the pound.
She briefed her plan to remove debris and clean up around the pound, including reusing and recycling as much as possible. The rest will go to the landfill.
Branson thanked those who’ve dropped off blankets and towels.
She briefed that Home Incarceration supervised 10 offenders, with 266 person-days under supervision.
She had a resolution to apply for a 2025 Homeland Security grant to support election security; the Commission approved and signed. Branson it will go towards cybersecurity measures, new locks to the area where election equipment is stored, and security cameras.
Peggy Moomaw, Public Information Officer, said she completed training Aug. 7. She also attended a conference, and raised her concern over artificial intelligence, or AI.
She said they saw apparent footage of a police officer kicking a service animal: Although it looked real, the footage was AI-generated.
“It takes a long time to clear your reputation when something is out there, even if it’s false,” Moomaw said.
Close study of footage or images can often reveal small things AI misses: Does a human blink appropriately? Do hands have strange numbers of fingers, and do limbs look odd? Does the mouth move correctly for the words spoken?
If something seems “off,” it could be. The public should be willing to question these images and videos.
The Commission approved County Clerk Loretta Humbertson’s list of exonerations, settlements, consolidations, orders, payroll register, report of wills admitted and executors appointed, and report of administrators, curators, and committees appointed.
The July 2025 jail bill was $39,342.42. August’s Farmland Preservation collection was $14,778.50.
The Commission meets again Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.
