Chieffalo Accepts New Position in Marshall County
Joselyn King WHEELING - Toni Chieffalo, the long-time coordinator of elections in Ohio County, is leaving for a similar job in Marshall County.
Chieffalo's last day in the Ohio County Commission's office is Feb. 1, and she will start her job with the Marshall County Clerk's Office on Feb. 2.
Ohio County is the only county among West Virginia's 55 counties in which the commission office oversees elections, and not the county clerk. For almost 21 years and nine months, Chieffalo has been coordinator of elections in Ohio County. Most recently she also has served as the clerk overseeing all operations in the office.
Following her departure, the elections coordinator job will once again be separated, Chieffalo said.
"They will put someone here (as secretary), then hire for the coordinator," she explained. "The election part was very interesting, and I always enjoyed it. Always somebody new, something new. I got to meet a lot of people."
Chieffalo worked with many poll workers over the years, and among them "made a lot of good friends," she said.
In Marshall County, Chieffalo will transition into being the voter registration clerk - the position previously held by new Marshall County Clerk Connie Howard.
Chieffalo will oversee voter registration, and assist with elections in her new job.
"I have always believed that Toni had the right qualities as the perfect employee," said Ohio County Commission President Don Nickerson. "She is confident, polite, professional and knows a lot about her job. We will miss her presence.
"She has been wonderful, and always happy and pleasant."
Commissioner Randy Wharton has been on the commission since Chieffalo began the job nearly 22 years ago.
"She started at the commission a couple of years after I started," he said. "She has worked her way up to her current position, and has done an excellent job. She will be a great loss to us.
"She is a person of the highest integrity. Marshall County is getting an excellent person."
Commissioner Zach Abraham termed Chieffalo "a very valuable member of the County Commission team."
"She has done an excellent job with our elections over the years, and she will be missed by many," he said. "I have really enjoyed working with Toni over the past two years while on the commission.
"We hate to see her leave, but wish her nothing but the very best in the future."
County Administrator Randy Russell also noted that Chieffalo has been with Ohio County "for almost 22 years."
"That is a lot of election experience we are losing, and that level of experience will be very difficult to replace," he said. "We will never find anyone with that level of experience.
"Toni has been a great asset to the commission, and she will be missed. We wish her the best," Russell added.