04/30/2026
Commissioner Chek continues to lie and mislead the citizens of Hancock County!
I have been involved with county government for over 30 years, and I have never seen a sitting Commissioner conduct themselves this way in meetings or public forums. The post I shared is, in my view, unprofessional, disrespectful, careless, and contains clear misrepresentations. Referring to Hancock County deputies as โdebutantesโ is inappropriate and sets a very low standard for someone in that position. The people of Hancock Countyโand its employeesโdeserve better.
In that same post, she suggested that the Sheriffโs Office supports a tax increase, even referencing a โ5x increase.โ At no time have I, or anyone I am aware of, suggested such a thing. It has never even been discussed. I prefer to use the term โmisrepresentation,โ but saying the Sheriff and Deputies or anyone is wanting taxes raise is a scare tactic and a BOLD FACE LIE!
The Deputiesโ Association met with her, as well as the other candidates. They were under no obligation to extend that invitation, yet they did so in good faith. To respond by labeling them โdebutantesโ is both disappointing and disrespectful.
I also watched a video in which she took credit for several initiatives. First, she claimed to have initiated a 100% employer-paid insurance plan. That is not accurate. Years ago, a prior Commission implemented a policy requiring new employees to pay 20%, while many existing employees already had 100% coverage. Since taking office in January 2021, the Chief Deputy and I raised the issue periodically without success. It wasnโt until then Commissioner Davis began actively working on it, that progress was made and the plan was ultimately passed by all 3 commissioners.
Secondly, she stated that she โtransformedโ 911 dispatch. That claim is difficult to support. Prior to her taking officeโand for many years beforeโthere have been three dispatchers per shift, which remains the case today. While there may be occasional staffing shortages, that is a common issue so technically Commissioner Chek did nothing to increase staffing. Dispatchers have always received training as required by the State of West Virginia, and I am not aware of any additional training initiatives beyond those mandates.
Additionally, the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system currently in use has been in place since the early 2000s. While it has received minor updates, it needs a major overhaul. Alternative systems have been reviewed by 911 personnel, law enforcement, and fire departments and are very expensive, also major updates to present system have been viewed but these upgrades are costly. To date, no significant action has been taken by the Commission to modernize the system. If there had truly been a transformation of 911 services, we would expect to see meaningful changesโbut none have occurred.
In summary, many of these claims do not align with the facts as I have experienced them. The public deserves accurate information and leadership that reflects professionalism and accountability.
