Jefferson County Commission Approves FOIA Reform Push, ValleyLink Mapping, and Multiple Hires
Jefferson County commissioners voted 4-1 to ask state lawmakers to change the Open Meetings Act to address what they called waste, fraud, and abuse tied to public-records requests. The board also directed staff to map the proposed ValleyLink high-voltage transmission line on the county's GIS system and passed a resolution asking FirstEnergy to explore burying the lines underground if they run through Jefferson County.
Highlights
- Split vote (4-1): Commission voted to add Open Meetings Act reform to its state legislative agenda; Commissioner Stolipher voted no.
- Failed vote (2-3): Motion to enter executive session for legal advice on FOIA issues did not pass; Commissioners Stolipher and Mood were in favor, the other three opposed.
- Split vote (4-1): Resolution asking FirstEnergy to develop technology to bury ValleyLink high-tension lines underground passed; Commissioner Majdi voted no. A final draft will return at the next meeting.
- Tabled: Jefferson County Issue Resolution Policy deferred to a future date.
- Tabled: Request for Professional Services for an Employee Handbook deferred to a future date.
Consent Agenda
The commission approved minutes from the June 30, 2026 special meeting, accounts payable totaling $562,252.44 (July 2) and $57,191.62 (July 9), manual checks totaling $173,777.85 (July 2) and $179,663.04 (July 9), payroll of $508,718.31 (July 3), requisitions, and two personnel actions — a promotion in Fleet and Facilities and a new bailiff hire in the Sheriff's Office. All items passed without objection.
Assessor's Office — Exonerations and New Hire
The commission approved property tax exonerations presented by Assessor Angie Banks. Vote: Passed 5-0.
The commission approved hiring Noah Porter as a mapper/GIS technician starting July 20, 2026, at a beginning salary of $65,000, with a pay increase after 90 days. The position will be paid from the assessor's valuation fund. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Circuit Clerk's Office — New Hire
The commission approved hiring Amanda Shelanskey as a deputy clerk beginning August 3, 2026, at a salary of $39,500. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Prosecuting Attorney's Office — Two New Assistant Prosecutors
The commission approved hiring Hassan S. Rasheed as a full-time Assistant Prosecuting Attorney at $129,463.15 and R. Joseph Funkhouser at $90,000, both starting on or after July 20, 2026. Vote: Passed 5-0.
FOIA and Open Meetings Act Reform
Commissioner Majdi brought forward a proposal to ask state lawmakers to amend the Open Meetings Act to add a conflict-of-interest provision and reduce what he called misuse of taxpayer dollars through public-records requests. Vote: Passed 4-1 (Stolipher dissenting).
A separate motion to enter executive session for legal advice on FOIA-related issues did not receive enough support. Vote: Failed 2-3 (Stolipher and Mood in favor; Majdi, Keys, and Hefestay opposed).
Boards and Commissions
E911 Advisory Board: The commission voted to reconstitute the board, approve its bylaws, and advertise for new members. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Criminal Justice Board: The commission voted to reconstitute the board, approve amended bylaws, and advertise for members. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Parks and Recreation Commission: After reviewing five applicants, the commission appointed Bryan Derrickson, Carol Gelman, and Zach Holland to three-year terms ending June 30, 2029. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Water Advisory Committee: Staff presented responses to two technical questions previously requested by the commission. No action was taken.
Water Resource Protection
Commissioners discussed several water-related topics — hydrogeological studies similar to those done in neighboring Berkeley County, a possible well-monitoring ordinance, and water usage by data centers — all as informational items. No votes were taken on those topics.
The commission did vote to send a letter to the West Virginia Department of Commerce asking questions about water use by data centers operating in the region. Vote: Passed 5-0.
ValleyLink Transmission Line — GIS Mapping
After returning from executive session, the commission voted to direct GIS staff to create a preliminary map layer showing the proposed ValleyLink high-voltage transmission line route. The county noted that ValleyLink has not agreed to share its official mapping data, so any depiction would carry a disclaimer that it is approximate and for informational purposes only. Vote: Passed 5-0.
A separate discussion about the line's possible route through Moulton Park was informational only. No action was taken.
ValleyLink — Underground Line Resolution
Commissioner Stolipher proposed a resolution asking FirstEnergy (the ValleyLink developer) to invest in technology to bury high-tension power lines underground if the route passes through Jefferson County. The commission approved the concept and directed staff to bring a finalized draft resolution to the next meeting. Vote: Passed 4-1 (Majdi dissenting).
Residential Development and Growth
The commission received informational reports on building permit activity, how housing growth affects emergency services needs, the concept of an Adequate Public Facility Ordinance (APFO), and potential legal limits on growth-management tools. No votes were taken. Staff also gave an update on a pending solar energy text amendment at the Planning Commission level; no action was taken.
Engineering, Planning, and Zoning
Hilltop House Hotel TDD Contract Extension: The commission approved Change Order #5 extending the county's contract with the West Virginia Division of Economic Development for the Hill Top House Hotel Tourism Development District project through September 29, 2027. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Third-Party Building Inspections: The commission accepted a proposal from Matthew Anderson, PE, of MWA Engineering, to perform independent building plan reviews and inspections. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Human Resources
Shepherd University Tuition Agreement: The commission approved a tuition reduction agreement with Shepherd University for county employees for the 2026-2027 academic year. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Sick Leave Transfer: The commission approved recognizing 1,080 hours of accrued sick leave transferred from Morgan County for employee Dick Myers in the Homeland Security and Emergency Management office. The hours will count toward retirement credit only and cannot be used as leave at Jefferson County. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Issue Resolution Policy: Deferred to a future date. No action taken.
Employee Handbook: A request for professional services to develop a county employee handbook was deferred to a future date. No action taken.
Finance
FY2027 Budget Adjustments: The commission approved budget adjustments A, B, and C for the current fiscal year. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Historic ESA Account Signatories: The commission updated the signatories on a Historic Escrow account to reflect current elected officials. Vote: Passed 5-0.
WV American Water Firefighting Support Grant: The commission approved applying for a firefighting support grant from West Virginia American Water. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Banking Daily Limit Increase: The commission authorized the commission president to sign documents increasing the county's daily banking transaction limit to cover payroll processing. Vote: Passed 5-0.
Legal and Litigation Updates
The county's legal team provided informational updates on several pending court cases — including a deputies' lawsuit against the commission, two West Virginia Supreme Court cases, opioid litigation, and a review of a recent change in Virginia law affecting electricity regulation. No action was taken on any of these items.
County Administrator
Property Valuation: The commission received an informational report on the county-owned Washington and George Street property from Lowe Real Estate Group. No action was taken.
Health Department Lease: The commission approved a lease agreement for Health Department use of 1948 Wiltshire Road. Vote: Passed 5-0.
HAVA Security Grant: The commission approved applying for a 2026 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Security Grant for $78,225, to be funded entirely through the County Clerk's Election Administration fund. Vote: Passed 5-0.