VACANCY NOTED — On Tuesday, the Brooke County Commission approved a notice indicating the seat of former commissioner A.J. Thomas will be on ballots in the Nov. 3 general election but hasn’t yet filled that vacancy for the remainder of this year. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Commission has agreed to post a notice that the seat of former commissioner A.J. Thomas will be on ballots on Nov. 3 but has not yet filled that vacancy for the remainder of the year.

On Tuesday, County Commissioners Stacey Wise and Tom Diserio approved an order calling for a legal ad to notify all political parties and potential candidates for Thomas’ unexpired term in the general election.

Thomas attended his last meeting as commissioner last week after announcing in September he would be departing, to spend more time with his young children, after March 2.

Under state code, a successor to serve the remainder of his six-year term is to be determined through the next regular election.

Since Thomas’ resignation came after the filing period for the May 12 primary election, his seat couldn’t appear on ballots until November.

But the commission is able to fill it for the remainder of this year, provided the person is a Republican living in the Follansbee Magisterial District, as Thomas is.

Following news of Thomas’ resignation, letters of interest have been submitted by four: Hooverson Heights Fire Chief Rob Carroll, Joey Ewusiak, a leader of local business Ewusiak Development; Tom Ludewig, a former Follansbee councilman and Follansbee Park director; and Christina White, the director of the county’s emergency 911 center.

In the event they aren’t able to reach consensus, the executive committee for the local Republican Party is to submit nominations for their consideration.

The commissioners were asked when they expected to make their appointment.

Diserio noted by law, the commission has 30 days from Thomas’ last date of service to fill the seat and shouldn’t move too quickly.

“I’m hoping we take the full 30 days to do it. But it’s not going to extend past the 30 days,” he said, adding he and Wise may select an individual before that.

Wise said earlier the commission also must focus on finalizing a 2026-27 budget for submission to the state auditor’s office by the end of this month.

In related business, the commissioners took no action in filling seats Thomas had held on several county boards.

Each January, the three commissioners normally divide representation on various county boards among themselves.

The commissioners also received notice that Thomas has expressed interest in serving, as a volunteer resident, on the county’s ambulance authority.

A seat on the board, which advises the county’s ambulance service, became vacant with the resignation of Flora Perrone.

The commissioners agreed to follow their usual policy of accepting letters of interest in the seat, through the office of County Clerk Kimberly Barbetta, for two weeks.

In other business:

• The commissioners tabled adopting a lease agreement for the West Virginia University Extension Service’s use of the former Brooke County Probation Building at 840 Charles St., saying the agency’s legal counsel will be drawing up an agreement.

Last week, the commission agreed to transfer the building to the City of Wellsburg for use as its police station.

The probation department moved in recent years to the county’s judicial center.

• The Rev. Brian Knight asked the commission when it intends to fill the position of 911 center director, noting in August, White announced she would be retiring in January.

Diserio said White has rescinded her resignation so she would be able to train her successor.

Knight told the commissioners they could risk losing the candidates who expressed interest after they set a Jan. 30 deadline for applications.

• The commission agreed to allow representatives of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture to enter county property to apply insecticide and herbicide to spotted lanternflies and its preferred food, a plant called the tree of heaven.

Both have been deemed invasive species, hindering the growth of other plant life.

Diserio said, “If this can eradicate the spotted lanternfly, so be it.”