PARSONS – On Tuesday Tucker County Commissioners unanimously elected Lowell Moore as President for 2017.

Tucker County Clerk Sherry Simmons called the meeting to order and asked for nominations for President. Moore nominated Commissioner Diane Hinkle for President but Hinkle declined the nomination.

“Lowell, you have been an excellent President for the last two years. With my current situation, I have multiple opportunities to serve the people of Tucker County. I am very fortunate in that regard,” Hinkle said. “So if you (Moore) would not mind to serve another year, I would be honored to have you as President of the Commission.”

Moore said he would be honored to serve again.

“You (Hinkle) do a great job up on the mountain. You take a lot of work that we would have to do down here. You serve well up there and we appreciate that,” Moore said.
“I would like to commend your work with the Tucker Community Foundation,” Commissioner Patrick Darlington said of Hinkle. “The work you put in there, the money you bring into the county and the opportunities you allow with the money you bring into the county is tremendous. It’s invaluable work and you do a tremendous job with that. It takes a special person to be able to deal with the grants and getting the money for Run For It. I would like to thank you and commend you for your work.”

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioners set the meeting day and times. The Tucker County Commission meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The meeting on the second Wednesday begins at 9 a.m. unless otherwise noted. The meeting on the fourth Wednesday begins at 4 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Both meetings take place in the Tucker County Courthouse Courtroom located on the third floor of the Courthouse.

Commissioners set the Tucker County holiday and payday schedule and approved the annual mileage reimbursement rate. Commissioners set their 2017 Commissioner Board Designations.
Following Tuesday’s meeting, Moore said the meeting was his first of his second term.

“I am honored to be reappointed for my second term,” Moore said. “Ordinarily, the Presidency would be turned over to Commissioner Hinkle but she declined is so active with great work on the mountain for the Commission and for the Tucker Community Foundation.”

Moore said to be reappointed as Tucker County Commission President is an honor. He said some of the most important duties of the Commission is listening and responding to the taxpayer’s needs.

“We set the budgets for the county and we have to work with each office independently and together as a county,” Moore said. “I think it is a great county to work with. I think the Tucker County Courthouse is blessed to have some of the best employees. We work well together and we accomplish a lot together.”

Moore said some of the Commission’s biggest accomplishments in recent years include restoring the Tucker County Courthouse with Historical Restoration Grants, building the new Tucker County Courthouse Annex, installing a cakewalk area on the Courthouse Campus, acquiring a new building up at the Tucker County Animal Shelter, remodeling the former VA Building and moving the Tucker County Health Department, improving the Tucker County Senior Center with new lighting and a newly paved parking lot, partnering with the Tucker County Senior Center for a new VA Clinic and reopened Station 2 EMS up on the mountain.

“As a whole, I think Tucker County has done well over the past several years,” Moore said. “This is because past and present Tucker County Commissioners work well together. I am honored to have served with past Commissioners as well as our current Commission.”

Moore was born and raised in Tucker County.

“I am one of the very few people who have never left Tucker County. I live close to my home place and my wife and I raised three children. I feel honored to have stayed in Tucker County,” Moore said. “In March, we will be married 53 years. We have seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and two more on the way.”

Upcoming goals of the Tucker County Commission include repairing the Pulp Mill Bottom Dike, continuing to improve EMS coverage in the county and working on the Courthouse on improving the facility and installing fire suppression.

“We have to spend wisely,” Moore said. “We have lost our coal severance money. We have to manage with what we have. We are going to have to tighten up on our spending to live within our means and we will. We are tight but we are still substantial.”