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Commission taps Kesling as president

Kesling

ELKINS — The Randolph County Commission approved the election of David Kesling for Commision President for the year 2025 during its regular meeting held Thursday at the Wees Annex.

Kesling, who will be serving as president for a third time, was unanimously elected to replace fellow Commissioner Cris Siler, whose term will end at the end of this month. Kesling was elected for a second term to the County Commission during the General Election in November.

Siler recommended and made a motion that Kesling be elected as the new President of the County Commission beginning on Jan. 1. Commissioner Chris See second the motion.

“I think it would be good for the Commission and the county as well if you were the next President,” Siler said to Kesling. “Because you are up on all of the remodeling for the second judge, as well as some of the other projects we have going on, it would be very helpful for everyone, considering how much time you’ve already spent on these projects, that you would be president.”

Siler asked Commissioner Chris See if he had any issues with Kesling being elected as the President for 2025, to which See replied, “Not at all, I think Dave has done a great job.”

Kesling told the Commissioners that there was a lot of work needed to be done next year and that some tough decisions would have to be made.

“Next year we have a lot coming up,” said Kesling. “We are looking at a project for the ceiling at the Courthouse, redoing the courthouse campus, working on the PEIA increase, and the budget cycle…We have a lot of good things coming as well, like our second judge to the county on January 1. But with that the county took because we had to come up with over $300,000 for courthouse renovations…There is going to be some tough decisions made next year on some projects, but we will work together like we always do for the betterment of the county as a whole, not just individual cities within the county.”

Kesling was reached via phone after Thursday’s meeting and said he was excited to have the opportunity to serve as president for a third time.

“I am looking forward to serving as president for another fiscal year,” said Kesling. “There’s a lot of projects going on that the Commission has planned for next year, and ones that we need to finish from 2024. I am looking at ways to ensure the county is stable for the next 25, 35, to 50 years – not only financially, but building wise.”

The next Randolph County Commission meeting will be held Jan. 2 at the Wees Annex beginning at 1:30 p.m.

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