Mayor Announces New Committees, Committee Memberships
Establishes Ad Hoc Collaboration and Marketing Committee and Addiction and Homeless Resources Task Force
Elkins, W. Va., April 7, 2021: Mayor Jerry Marco has made changes to Elkins council committee memberships and announced the formation of a new ad hoc Collaboration and Marketing Committee and a new inter-agency Addiction and Homeless Resources Task Force.
Under the new city charter adopted by council last year, Elkins mayors are granted authority to decide the membership of council’s standing committees and may also establish and appoint members of ad hoc committees. By longstanding custom, committee memberships are typically updated immediately following the city’s biannual elections.
Mayor Marco explained that the purpose of the new Collaboration and Marketing Committee is to further strengthen lines of communication between city officials and other agencies, organizations, and stakeholders in the Elkins community. Committee members will be charged with reducing duplication of efforts and increasing collaboration communitywide toward a goal of making Elkins even more appealing and attractive to new residents and businesses. Appointed to this committee are Councilors Charles S. Friddle, III; Nanci Bross-Fregonara; Clint Higgins; and Linda Vest.
The Addiction and Homeless Resources Task Force will consist of one council member, the chief of the Elkins Police Department, and the Randolph County sheriff. There will be at least four citizen members, as well. This body will also look for opportunities to reduce duplication of efforts, but specifically in the areas of addiction and homelessness prevention and response. According to Marco, task force members will seek and share information about available strategies and resources, as well as identifying and advocating for needed new resources.
Prior to adoption of the new charter, there were five standing council committees, and these are now stipulated as permanent: Finance, Rules & Ordinances, Municipal Properties, Public Safety, and Personnel. The table below shows the previous and new membership of each.
| Committee | Previous Membership | New Membership |
| Finance | Charles Friddle, III (chair) Carman Metheny Marilynn Cuonzo |
Mike Hinchman (chair) Rob Chenoweth Christopher Lowther |
| Rules & Ordinances | Linda Vest (chair) Mike Hinchman Rob Chenoweth |
Nanci Bross-Fregonara (chair) Clint Higgins Marilynn Cuonzo |
| Municipal Properties | Marilynn Cuonzo (chair) Christopher Lowther Karen Wilmoth |
Marilynn Cuonzo (chair) Charles Friddle, III Judy Guye |
| Public Safety | David Parker (chair) Linda Vest Mike Hinchman |
David Parker (chair) Judy Guye Mike Hinchman |
| Personnel | Carman Metheny (chair) David Parker Judy Guye |
Rob Chenoweth (chair) Linda Vest Christopher Lowther |
The Finance Committee has announced that it will continue to meet first Mondays at 10 a.m. Public Safety will continue to meet second Mondays at 10 a.m. The other committees have not yet announced the dates/times of their regular meetings.
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