OATH ADMINISTERED — Wellsburg Mayor Dan Dudley administered the oath of office to Jeannette Paugh, left, after she was appointed the new city clerk by Wellsburg Council on Tuesday. With her is her friend, Pam Kins. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The appointment of a new city clerk and issues involving the city’s police department were among matters before Wellsburg Council on Tuesday.

Following an executive session to discuss two candidates for city clerk, council appointed Jeannette Paugh as city clerk, a part-time position that involves overseeing the city’s elections, taking minutes at council meetings and other duties.

The move was supported by 1st Ward Councilman Jerry Nichols, 2nd Ward Councilmen Geno Capp and Scott Caldwell, 3rd Ward Councilmen Randy Fletcher and Tom Gaudio and 4th Ward Councilman Fred Marino.

It was opposed by 4th Ward Councilman Larry Swanson, who said he wasn’t opposed to Paugh but wanted council members to interview the candidates first.

Paugh is a graduate of West Virginia University, where she studied communications with a focus on business.

A Wellsburg resident, she serves as treasurer of the city’s volunteer fire department.

She said she applied for the position because she wanted to become more involved in the city’s operations and is excited to get started.

Council also discussed another vacancy, one of two council seats representing the 1st Ward, left vacant with the recent death of Jack Kins.

Citing illness, Kins had resigned just days before his death on June 29 at the age of 79.

In addition to serving on council since 2017, he had been active in the fire department and Wellsburg Moose Lodge and was a local entrepreneur and part-time Brooke County school bus driver.

His family has asked for memorial contributions to be made to the American Lung Association.

On Tuesday, council agreed to advertise for candidates for the council seat for two weeks with the intention of filling it at its next regular meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 12.

In other business, council was advised City Police Capt. Micah Knisley has asked to be paid for 14 days of vacation he said he couldn’t take because the police department is understaffed.

The department has been comprised for several months of City Police Chief Mike Allman, Knisley and another officer, with officers from other departments employed at times on a temporary basis at Allman’s request.

While council recently approved the hiring of a new officer, he must be accompanied by another officer until he completes state police training later this year.

Questioned about the request, City Solicitor Ryan Weld said the city’s personnel policy doesn’t allow for staff to be compensated for unused vacation times. He also confirmed they may not be carried over.

Allman said the policy shouldn’t be the same for city police, who work longer shifts and throughout the day.

“So we’re penalizing him for working and covering the city,” he asked.

City Manager Steve Maguschak acknowledged that Knisley’s only recourse is to file a grievance.

In related business, Allman asked Weld if he’s found anything that would prevent new police hires to reimburse the city for training costs if they don’t work for the city for three years.

Weld replied he hasn’t.

The move is seen as a way to prevent new officers from leaving soon after hiring for higher paying jobs with other law enforcement agencies.

Also on Tuesday:

• Fletcher said a sign prohibiting parking in Central Park needs to be posted. He said after free concerts were held there by the Wellsburg 4th of July Committee, deep ruts were found in the ground.

Gaudio said city crews spent additional hours collecting trash from the park and other sites during the group’s weeklong celebration of Independence Day. He said the city should charge the committee for that service as is done for a festival held in another city.

Mayor Dan Dudley said though the celebration wasn’t without some issues, “All in all, I think we had a great Fourth of July.”

He said the volunteer group should be applauded for its efforts. He said they and organizers of the Wellsburg Kiwanis Club’s Duck Derby, Wellsburg Urban Redevelopment Authority’s block party and the Brooke County Farmers Market have brought many visitors to the city within the last several weeks.

• Gaudio suggested council hold two meetings each month because he finds a current monthly meeting designated for council’s committees is a waste of time because no action may be taken.

The meeting is held at 6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at City Hall. Under a previous administration, it had begun as a series of consecutive meetings for council’s finance, community services, city properties, ordinances and parks and recreation committees.

But citing a lack of interest from non-elected residents in serving on the volunteer panels, the committees were reduced to a few council members for each.

The committee meetings also morphed into one, with the council member serving as chair for each presenting topics for discussion by the entire council.

But through them, committee recommendations could be made for council’s consideration at its regular meeting.

Such action allowed potential future action by council to be made public.

• Fletcher reiterated his wish for the city’s elections to be held at one central location, possibly the banquet hall operated by the fire department on 12th Street.

He said the move would save the city money for poll workers.

Weld said it would require an amendment to the city’s charter and if one citizen opposes the proposal, it would have to be placed on ballots in a city election.