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ELKINS -- Elkins City Council has approved the donation of a city-owned "surplus camera" to Elkins High School.
Seven of the eight City Council members present at the most recent council meeting approved a resolution to donate a Fujifilm X-S10 digital SLR camera, with an 18-55mm lens, to EHS to be used by the school's yearbook and journalism staff.
Fourth Ward Council Member Andrew Carroll, who is an EHS teacher, abstained from voting. Fourth Ward Council member Nanci Bross-Fregonara and Fifth Ward Council member David Parker were absent from the meeting.
"We had purchased it a couple of years ago," Elkins City Clerk Sutton Stokes explained to council before the vote. "It just seems redundant with iPhones, and we learned that the high school not only is interested in their students learning how to operate a camera like that, they are about to prohibit cell phones."
Elkins High School, and all other state schools, will ban the use of cellphones, in compliance with state law. Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed House Bill 2003, which prohibits the use of personal electronic devices in classrooms state-wide, into law on April 29.
According to HB 2003, all county boards of education in the state must have a policy in compliance with the law at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.
Elkins City Code states the city is allowed to convey municipal property to non-profit organizations for "less than fair market value and without public auction," provided that:
The city lacks a current need for the property in comparison to the public benefit of the donation; and
The nonprofit organization demonstrates a need for the property to perform services that benefit the public and that the city could lawfully provide.
Council, in the resolution, stated it has found that Elkins High School "has demonstrated such a need and that the camera donation will support student learning and public engagement."
In a letter addressed to Council, EHS English and yearbook teacher Madeline Hott thanked the city for informing the school of the no-longer-needed camera, and explained how the camera would enhance student learning.
"We appreciate the city's interest in finding a new home for this equipment where it can be put to meaningful use... Our yearbook staff and students enrolled in digital media and journalism courses would benefit greatly from access to a high-quality camera," Hott said in her letter. "The equipment would enhance both the quality of student work and the learning experience in these programs, supporting our ongoing efforts to provide hands-on, real-world learning opportunities... We are committed to putting the equipment to good use..."
The donation, according to the resolution, includes a reversion clause that states, should Elkins High School "cease to use the equipment in the furtherance of its educational mission or cease to provide services benefiting the public," ownership of the camera and lens shall revert to the City of Elkins.