The Hancock County Commissioners voted unanimously to join the fight to save 900 jobs at Cleveland-Cliffs Weirton Tin Plate plant at their Thursday meeting.

The Commissioners and the City of Weirton is sending a letter to President Joe Biden asking that he intervene in the International Trade Commission’s determination not to impose tariffs on foreign steel.

Weirton City Manager Mike Adams outlined the process the City of Weirton is taking to save the 900 United Steelworkers jobs.  Adams noted that the President has the power through the Trade Act of 1974 to take “all appropriate and feasible action to provide relief from foreign trade practices that are unreasonable, or

The idling of the Weirton plant will have devastating effects on workers and their families, and extend far into the community and its tax base effecting services and schools.

The USW is asking for neighboring communities, counties and states to join them in their fight to save the CLIFF’s Plant and the 900 jobs.

In other business, the Commissioners:

**Appointed Edson “Ted” Arneault on a 3-0 vote to a vacancy on the Business Development Corporation.  Commission President Davis said three candidates had applied and been interviewed prior to the meeting.  Davis stressed that all candidates had been excellent, but cited Arneault’s experience as CEO of Mountaineer in developing and managing discriminatory as to result in burdens on United the company.

**Accepted the resignation of Randy Swartzmiller to the Tomlinson Public Service District.

**Voted to advertise for an open position on the Tomlinson PSD.  

**Voted to pay Kayla Reese accrued personal days.

**Accepted the resignations of Timothy Fields, Roy Newman from the Hancock County Animal Shelter;

**Reappointed Tommy Ogden to the West Virginia Route 2/I 68 Authority Board;

**Agreed to pay Carolyn Fields accrued pay;

**Made a request from the Hancock County Museum $4,804.43 for re-imbursement for expenses a matter of record;

**Brought back from the table a request from Hancock County Solid Waste Authority for $16,000.00 for roll-off rental, transportation and community clean-up events.  In light of the budgetary restraints faced by the Commission, the Commissioners voted to give $5,000.00 towards the project.;

**Approved funding in the amount of $7,600.00 for repairs needed at Gas Valley Complex.  The funds will be taken from the Parks & Recreation Board; **The Commission will meet again for a regular meeting on March 28, 2024, at 2:30 p