HONORED — As part of Monday’s Hancock County Board of Education meeting, members of the Oak Glen High School volleyball team were recognized after capturing both the OVAC AAAA and West Virginia AA championships. The team had a season record of 35-3-3. -- Craig Howell

NEW CUMBERLAND — The Hancock County Board of Education agreed to additional legal representation, and the hiring of two more maintenance personnel, during its meeting Monday.

Superintendent Dan Enich requested approval of a proposal for a legal contract by the board with David F. Cross, which was approved by a 2-1 vote.

“He formerly represented Hancock County Schools for a number of years,” Enich explained, noting the move was the result of a need to have some local legal representation to address some day-to-day needs and other issues.

“We have some land issues that are coming up,” Enich said, without going into detail.

Enich noted the board will continue to have representation from the Bowles Rice law firm, and had discussed the plan with them.

Board Vice President Ed Fields asked how compensation would be arranged. Enich reported an hourly pay rate was negotiated, just as had been done with Bowles Rice.

Shaw raised some concerns over conflicts with the board having representation by more than one law firm.

“There had been an issue of having multiple attorneys,” Shaw said, referring to comments made during the 2022 election when candidates, including current members of the board included the costs of using multiple firms as part of their campaigns.

Shaw requested a breakdown of the costs for the contract with Cross be included in the board’s financial reports, just as is done with Bowles Rice.

Board member Jim Horstman voted against the recommendation, with Fields and Shaw voting in favor. Board member Gerard Spencer was not in attendance, Monday, while board President Chris Gillette was participating by telephone, but was reported to have lost reception during the discussion.

In other business, the board approved a recommendation to add two groundsman/handyman/general maintenance positions for the 2023-24 school year.

“We have been completely short-handed in the maintenance department,” Enich said.

The district’s maintenance department typically had 10 staff positions, with two custodians and eight tradesman positions. Currently, though, there are three individuals out with long term illness or injury.

“Even if those individuals weren’t injured or sick, I think we’d still need them,” Enich said of the new hires.

Kasey Arnott, education technology & digital systems coordinator, who has been assisting with maintenance oversight this school year, said there often are numerous projects in need of attention and not enough hands to address them.

“It’s a non-stop struggle,” Arnott said.

Assistant Superintendent Dave Smith agreed, saying it particularly has been an issue in the last year as in-house staff has been used to take on portions of ongoing capital improvement projects, such as the construction of the new baseball and softball fields at Weir High.

Responding to a question from Shaw about available finances, Finance Director Joe Campinelli explained the board will have to use funding from the budget carryover or excess tax collections to cover the costs of the two hires, which he estimated at a total of $100,000.

“I know you’re understaffed,” Shaw said of his budgetary concerns. “I just want to make sure we’re OK.”