OPEN POSITIONS — The Brooke County Commission released the names of four individuals interested in serving the unexpired term of Commissioner A.J. Thomas after he leaves the office on March 1. The commission also will be filling the position of county emergency 911 director and a committee to consider use of opioid settlement funds while approving on Tuesday the hiring of additional ambulance personnel. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Commission released the names of four people seeking to serve the unexpired term of Commissioner A.J. Thomas while approving the hiring of additional ambulance personnel.

Letters of interest in Thomas’ seat, as announced during Tuesday’s commission meeting, were submitted by Hooverson Heights Fire Chief Rob Carroll, Joey Ewusiak, a leader of Ewusiak Development in Follansbee; former Follansbee Councilman and park director Tom Ludewig and Christina White, current director of the county’s emergency 911 center.

Thomas has announced he will step down from the position on March 1. Because that date falls after the filing period for candidates in this year’s primary and general elections, the commission has been tasked with filling the seat through at least the remainder of the year.

County Clerk Kimberly Barbetta said any individual who runs successfully for the seat in the general election will assume the position in January 2027.

The commission’s appointment to the seat must be a Republican living in the Follansbee Magisterial District, as Thomas is. Candidates from other parties may run for the seat in November.

Last year, White submitted her resignation, effective Jan. 1, but has remained as the 911 director while the commission accepted applications for that position.

The commission is slated to interview two applicants for the job on Jan. 30.

In other business, the commission continues to accept letters of interest in a volunteer committee that would help it determine applications for state opioid settlement funds disbursed to the county.

At this time, the commission has received interest from Doug Mills, Rob McMahon, Allison Cowden, Maryanne Capp, Tracey Guilliams, John Davis and Russ Burns.

On Tuesday, the commission authorized Greg Moore, the county ambulance service’s director, to advertise openings for two full-time paramedics and two full-time emergency medical technicians.

Thomas said Moore requested the additional personnel in light of a large amount of overtime accrued by the agency in recent months, an average of $145,000 per month.

The agency currently employs eight full-time staff and about 25 part-time employees, many of the latter hired in recent years to help offset manpower costs. The number doesn’t include administrative staff.

Thomas said some overtime is unavoidable, given the nature of the shifts worked by staff 24 hours a day, but additional personnel will help to reduce it.

“Adding people, believe it or not, saves money,” he said.

Brooke County Sheriff Rich Beatty said the same situation exists for the sheriff’s department but “we have been told we are at our right-size number.’

Beatty said he’s asked for a few more deputies to be added to reduce overtime, which he said has been a common complaint among the commissioners.

The sheriff’s department currently employs 18 deputies, including 12 assigned to patrols and others in special roles such as detectives or work with the Brooke-Hancock-Weirton Drug Task Force.

Thomas said the sheriff’s department’s overtime has dropped in recent months, and the commission previously approved the hiring of a deputy.

But he also told Beatty, “We can certainly have that discussion at our soon-to-come budget meeting.”

Also on Tuesday, the commission:

• Granted a request from the Brooke Hills Park board for funds to offset the cost of a new irrigation system for its golf course.

Park officials said they lacked funds to cover about $46,799 of the cost, including rental of a temporary pump.

Thomas said the commission will need to look at shortfalls in the park’s budget in recent months.

• Reappointed Mary Ann Kowalo, Al DeAngelis and Jim Andreozzi to the county’s building commission and appointed Russ Burns and Tim Ennis to vacant seats on the volunteer board, which oversees funding issues for the commission’s building projects.

• Agreed to meet at 10:30 a.m. Friday to discuss computer services provided by Global Science and Technology of Fairmont for various operations at the county courthouse.

Concern has been expressed about any impact from a lawsuit filed by the business against employees who have left to form their own company.