On April 30, Shepherdstown’s Planning Commission held a hearing at which a special committee’s recommendations to update the town’s comprehensive plan were presented to the public. Read the Full Story >>
Government
Republican Party Divison Stalls County Government
Following the removal of Tricia Jackson and Jennifer Krouse on May 1, the Jefferson County Commission will operate with only 3 commissioners. Read the Full Story >>
County Commission Hires Administrator, But Many Open Items Still Need Action
The Jefferson County Commision voted on April 22 2024 for Eddie Benites-LM to continue as the County Administrator on a permanent basis. Read the Full Story >>
What’s On The May 14 Ballot In Jefferson County
There are three candidates running to fill 3 seats on the Board of Education: James Southern, Rikki Twyford, and Donna Joy (currently serving on the BOE). The May election ballot is long. If you are voting on a Republican or Democratic ballot in Jefferson County, you’ll find primary choices for President, US Senator, US House, Read the Full Story >>
Panel Discussion On Growth Around Shepherdstown
On Wednesday, April 24 at 7:00 pm The Observer hosted a panel discussion on the growth that is expected to affect Shepherdstown-area residents in the next decade. Following the presentations, the panel took questions from the audience participants. Read the Full Story >>
Critical Time For Public Input On County’s Future Land Use Map
The Jefferson County Planning Commission intends to finalize the draft future land use map by August 2024. Read the Full Story >>
Jefferson County Commissioners Fail To Hire Key Staff To Prepare Budget
The Jefferson County Commission has left the Finance Director position vacant for almost a year. Read the Full Story >>
Jefferson County Commission Passes Budget For Fiscal Year 2025
The Jefferson County Commission voted on March 21 to approve a $34.4 million operating budget for fiscal 2025. Read the Full Story >>
Ranson City Council Plans To Adopt New Comprehensive Plan
The Ranson City Council is scheduled to have a final reading and vote on the ordinance to adopt the 2035 comprehensive plan at it’s regular meeting on April 9 2024. Read the Full Story >>
Charles Town City Manager Welcomes Public To Chat
The next Charles Town “meet the city manager” sessions will be on Wednesday, April 10 in the Charles Town City Hall (101 East Washington St, Charles Town). Read the Full Story >>
County Commission Struggles With FY2025 Budget
Jefferson County Revenue Budget – Three Year Comparison (download PDF) Jefferson County Expense Budget – Three Year Comparison (download PDF) Read the Full Story >>
County Commission Returns To Work
On November 30, all four sitting commissioners were in attendance at a meeting of the Jefferson County Commission for the first time in almost three months. Read the Full Story >>
Filing Window For Local Candidates To Run In 2024 Elections Is January 8 — 27
Our state and county governments rely on citizens willing to step up and run for office. Some positions require special qualifications — such as judges, justices, and prosecuting attorneys. Other positions are typically held by individuals with specific training — such as magistrates, sheriffs, and the attorney general. However, most offices require no specific credentials or experience. Read the Full Story >>
Jefferson County Commission Has A Backlog Of Unfinished Business
The agendas for the next few meetings will likely be contentious, as the Commission addresses some of the complex issues left unresolved over the past few months. Read the Full Story >>
November 30 Deadline for Public Comment On Ranson Planning Map
The City of Ranson’s project to update its Comprehensive Plan is getting closer to the finish line, with the City’s planning commission and council expected to review a final draft for approval in early 2024. November 30 is the last day for the public to make comments on the current draft (public comment is open Read the Full Story >>