Commissioner Danny Ellis discusses the authority of the commission to approve the hiring of personnel by other office holders with Prosecuting Attorney David Wandling during a meeting of the Logan County Commission Monday, September 12.
Faith Bannister | WVOW News
LOGAN Logan County Commissioners discuss their role in approving personnel hired by other county office holders.
Commissioners on Monday, September twelfth discussed the approval of a new hire in the Logan County Assessor’s Office. Assessor Glenn Adkins submitted a request of approval for Derek Tomblin, following the resignation of another employee.
Commissioner Danny Ellis questioned the commission’s role in approving personnel of other county office holders, and said he believes it is not the role of the commission.
“Somewhere along the line we may have misconstrued what our role was with this,” Ellis said. “I don't believe it is the county commission's responsibility to say we're gonna approve this hiring, unless there is some extraordinary circumstance there that we happen to know about.”
According to a letter from Assessor Adkins to the commission, Tomblin began work for the assessor on August 22.
Ellis said as long as an office holder has the money in their budget, a notification of the hire requires no action from commissioners.
Commissioner Diana Barnette agreed with Ellis’ assessment.
“He’s already hired him,” Barnette said. “He’s already started. There’s nothing we can do about it now. He’s already been working for two weeks.”
Logan County Prosecutor, and counsel for the commission, David Wandling seemed to concur with commissioners on the hiring process.
“It appears to me,” Wandling stated, “so long as we're operating, us as the office holders, are operating within our budget, I don’t know that you all have the authority to tell us we can’t hire someone, unless we have done something unethical.”
Tomblin's hiring was ultimately approved.
Also on the commission’s agenda was approval of a reimbursement to the Logan County Firefighters Association for the fire school held September ninth through the eleventh. The association requested $7,500 to help cover half of the costs. The motion was approved unanimously.
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