Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Prosecutor Shawn Turak, left, Clerk of Courts Brenda Miller, Clerk Mike Kelly, Assessor Tiffany Hoffman and Sheriff Nelson Croft exchange thoughts as they await the start of Tuesday’s commission meeting.

WHEELING — Ohio County commissioners say the county must cut expenditures as tax revenues decline, and they want to make reductions before the next fiscal year begins July 1.

Commissioners have presented a draft of a proposed employee handbook that would update county policies with the goal of saving money. The handbook has not been comprehensively revised since 1993.

Among the proposed changes is eliminating an employee option to accept a $6,000 annual stipend in lieu of health insurance.

County employees packed Tuesday morning’s commission meeting after learning the handbook revision and stipend elimination were on the agenda.

A meeting of Ohio County elected officials with commissioners scheduled for Monday night to discuss policy changes was canceled, leading employees to believe approval was imminent. Commissioners denied that was the case.

County Clerk of Courts Brenda Miller said employees felt excluded from the process.

“We have always worked together as a team,” Miller said. “If there is not transparency, that is difficult for me to understand and deal with.”

She said elected officials had received copies of the handbook last week and she has been reviewing it and making notes.

“The previous commissioners would always discuss things with us when there were major changes coming down,” Miller said. “We were able to discuss them and have input. We don’t have that anymore, and that’s a shame. The people getting hurt the most are the employees.”

Miller, a 37-year county employee, said she is concerned the changes could lead to turnover.

“We won’t be able to give these jobs away,” she said. “I have grave concerns, and I think all the elected officials here have the same ones.”

County Assessor Tiffany Hoffman said numerous provisions in the proposed handbook require discussion.

She said elected officials and department heads were asked to reduce budgets by 10% for fiscal year 2026-2027, which she accomplished by eliminating a position in her office.

Hoffman said the handbook also includes a policy prohibiting overtime even when additional work is needed.

She said commissioners were “leaving no incentives to retain or attract employees.”

County Clerk Mike Kelly said the proposal has disrupted daily operations.

“They can’t get work done because they’re busy talking about it,” he said. “We as elected officials haven’t had a conversation about the handbook. We’re only starting it now because people are here and they are angry.”

Commissioner Randy Wharton said the handbook is “far from a done deal” and expressed regret over the concern it has caused.

He also said elected officials ultimately have authority over their own offices and commissioners cannot override their policies.

Sheriff Nelson Croft said his department, which has the largest county budget, has taken the biggest reduction.

“We all need to work together in a way that our tier 1 employees are not getting punished,” he said. “I think the stipend is a good idea. If we can come up with a way to save it, that’s fine.”

County Prosecutor Shawn Turak said she has already lost one employee within the past week amid uncertainty over the proposed changes.

“I have staff that is phenomenal, and I’m afraid I’m going to lose them,” she said.

Anthony McDaniel, a paramedic and vice president of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 5405, said language in the handbook indicates the county would no longer recognize labor unions.

Ohio County Emergency Management Agency Director Lou Vargo questioned whether non-elected agency employees would have a voice in the process, including those at the health department, development authority, airport and other entities.

Commission President Zach Abraham said the county’s health care costs are unsustainable.

He said the county budget is about $24 million annually, with roughly $6 million spent on employee health insurance.

Abraham suggested the county could raise salaries, eliminate health benefits, absorb associated penalties and still “come out ahead.”