Jefferson County Commission to Convene March 5, Addressing Key Local Issues

Jefferson County residents are invited to attend the upcoming Jefferson County Commission meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will take place in the County Commission Meeting Room, located at 393 N. Lawrence Street in Charles Town, with attendees asked to use the East Entrance. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be broadcast live via Zoom.

The commission will allocate fifteen minutes at the beginning of the meeting for public comments. If public commentary extends beyond this allotted time, remaining comments will be heard after the conclusion of all agenda items. In-person attendees are encouraged to sign up upon arrival. Written comments can also be submitted via email to info@jeffcowv.gov.

The agenda for the March 5th meeting includes a comprehensive range of topics, beginning with the standard opening ceremonies, including a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance to both the United States and West Virginia flags. Following these preliminaries, the commission will move to a consent agenda. This section will involve the approval of minutes from previous meetings, including draft minutes from February 17 and February 19, 2026. Additionally, the consent agenda will address the approval of accounts payable and manual checks, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as payroll and requisitions for March 5, 2026. An item concerning the approval of hires for a Fellow position at the Jefferson County Development Authority is also listed.

Under announcements, the commission will provide information regarding the availability of draft minutes and meeting webcasts on the county’s official website. Residents can access these materials through the “find it fast/agendas-minutes-and-webcasts” section. The commission also noted that its spending information is synchronized daily with the West Virginia Checkbook, a public resource accessible online.

The regular agenda is set to commence with new business items. The County Assessor’s office will present exonerations, followed by an acknowledgment of Years of Service Awards. The County Clerk’s office will address several matters, including the reopening of estates, a monthly review of new estates and accountings, and a petition to remove an executrix from an estate. A significant agenda item from the County Clerk involves a proposal to change the voting location for Precinct 34 from Shepherdstown Elementary to Shepherdstown Middle School. An update on the Primary Election and services available at the new Jefferson County Government Complex are also slated for discussion.

The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will seek approval to hire an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. The Sheriff’s Office will present a revised dog ordinance for review and approval. The meeting will also include a discussion regarding GIS layers added to pending transmission lines.

A significant portion of the agenda is dedicated to Boards and Commissions. This includes the approval of bylaws for the Jefferson County Emergency Services Council. The commission will also consider appointments and membership for various boards, such as the Board of Zoning Appeals, Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority, HOME Consortium, and the Water Advisory Committee for the Charles Town Utility Board. A recognition of Martin Burke for his service to the Historic Landmarks Commission is also scheduled.

Engineering, Planning, and Zoning will present several key items. These include a request for bond reduction related to DR Horton, Inc.’s Magnolia Springs Phase 2 project, and requests for refunds for BZA Variance Applications. Presentations are scheduled for the Calendar Year 2025 Annual Report for the Office of Impact Fees and the FY 2027 Capital Improvement Plan for the same office. A landowner petition for a Zoning Map Amendment for Shepherdstown Profit Center, LLC, involving approximately two acres, will also be discussed, with a proposal to schedule a public hearing and refer the application to the Planning Commission.

Human Resources will present for consideration and approval a County Leave Donation Policy and merit pay increases for employees of non-elected departments and offices. The Information Technology Department will provide a briefing on infrastructure purchases before any commitments are made. The Chief Financial Officer will address ambulance fee exonerations and FY 26 budget adjustments.

The County Administrator will present a letter of support for the Route 9 BUILD Grant, discuss community project funding requests, and provide updates on commission requests to Engineering, Planning, and Zoning, as well as commissioners’ voting on boards. Finally, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will report on the commission’s options for representation on the Charles Town Utility Board and potential strategies to enhance services for Jefferson County citizens.

Residents attending the meeting will have the opportunity to engage directly with county officials on these important local matters. The commission’s decisions on these agenda items will shape various aspects of county operations, services, and future development.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from Jefferson County Commission

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