Pocahontas County Commissioners Appoint Joni Nichols as Interim County Prosecutor

At their September 3^rd meeting, the Pocahontas County Commissioners appointed Assistant County Prosecutor Joni Nichols to replace current Republican County Prosecutor Terri Helmick as interim County Prosecutor through December. Helmick has submitted her resignation from that office effective September 6, 2024.

Nichols changed her political affiliation from Democrat to Republican following her loss in the Democratic primary election this spring to Attorney Laura Kirschner. That change of parties qualifies her for this appointment since state law requires that an appointed interim prosecutor be a member of the same party as the departing elected prosecutor. In January, it appears likely that Kirschner will assume the County Prosecutor’s office barring an unprecedented write-in vote victory by someone else, since Kirschner is running unopposed by any Republican opponent in the November General Election.

During public input (“Hear Callers,”) Jay Miller expressed doubts about the legality of the commissioner-s borrowing 5 million dollars to build the new 911.EMS building absent a public referendum is passed authorizing them to do so.

When the commissioners took up the agenda item concerning the approval of the construction bid for the 911/EMS building, Commissioner Rebinski recommended that they take no action on that at this meeting because he wants to wait to determine if the county would be committed to paying the winning contractor in the event that he cannot come-up with the necessary funding through grants or loans to pay for the project.

The commissioners did pass the second part of that agenda item – which authorizes the County Building Commission to proceed with an application for a U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan to build the project. Rebinski explained that he is also working on other financial resources for the project including Congressional Directed funding, commonly referred as congressional earmarks, from U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito or other grants which could reduce the size of any loan.

The commissioners also voted to clarify that any old official documents that referred to the hospital as being “Pocahontas County Memorial Hospital,” are actually referring to “Pocahontas Memorial Hospital (PMH),” which is the now used as its official name. This was necessitated by questions from the USDA regarding their existing loan with PMH, after they found old records calling it “Pocahontas County Memorial Hospital.

The Commissioners also approved the lowest bid of $11,981.25 to install a kitchen in the Day Report Center. It was explained that a kitchen there is required for them to add a needed new program there.

They also approved, after a lengthy discussion, of allowing the Day Report to pay each of their 3 employees an additional yearly income of $1,600, which will be paid for out of the Day Report’s grant. Jodi Zickefoose, the Day Report Director, had requested this since the commissioners had authorized the hiring of a new employee for a salary that included the extra $1,600 because of his experience. Zickefoose explained this is needed to be done in order to keep up the moral of the other two employees. There were some questions raised about how this would affect other county employees, and it was stipulated that in approving this that this extra money can only be paid if the Day Report has the extra money to pay this out of their own budget.

The commissioners also held a discussion about the possible building of a Visitors Center/Tannery Museum in Durbin where tourists could get off the train and patronize it. It was agreed that the Durbin Town Council should be included in any serious further discussion or implementation of this.

They also Made the following Board appointments to the 911 Advisory Board

• Donald McNeel
• Bridget Shaw
• Helen Clark
• Mike O’Brien, Ex Officio.