(Photo by Brett Dunlap) Wood County Historical Society President Bob Enoch appeared before the Wood County Commission Thursday and talked about the need for volunteers to help maintain some of the area’s historical cemeteries.

PARKERSBURG — Volunteers and others are helping to mow and maintain local cemeteries, but more are needed, the president of the Wood County Historical Society told the Wood County Commission on Thursday.

Bob Enoch appeared before the commission to give an update on the Historical Society’s efforts to care for a number of local historical and neglected cemeteries in the area.

“Part of our situation is we just can’t get people,” Enoch said. “We are hoping to be able to get more people this year.”

They have around three people who are paid to come in and mow certain areas as well as around six volunteers who regularly help mow. They had been paying certain people by the hour, but found they get better results if they pay by the job as a piece of ground that can be done in an hour may not be worth it for someone being paid an hourly rate.

In a report from their former treasurer that Enoch read, due to the hot and dry conditions last summer mowing at the 14 area cemeteries where they work did not require as much work.

“We had three people who are not members of the historical society,” Enoch read. “They are dependable and do excellent work.”

About four years ago, the commission gave the society around $100,000 to take care of local cemeteries in the county. Enoch reported they still have over $79,900 of that money left.

Over the past year, the Society began tending to the Hiatt Cemetery near the edge of Vienna where they had to do some work regarding a stone wall surrounding the cemetery. That project involved bringing in some equipment to move some of the large stones to be able to restore the wall. They had to have money available as it was labor-intensive work that required machinery to do.

“Our wish is to add more people who can do mowing and weeding,” Enoch said. “These projects could expand with more workers.”

Enoch said there are still a lot of unkempt cemeteries in the area. If people have untended cemeteries near them, he would like to work with them about maintaining them.

“We want to thank you and your volunteers for all of your hard work in maintaining these cemeteries,” Commissioner Robert Tebay said.

People interested in helping or looking for more information about helping can call 304-483-9863 or email roberteenoch@gmail.com

In other business, the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office is looking to fill two vacancies for assistant prosecutors.

Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure, who appeared before the commission Thursday, said they have been advertising for the positions for about six weeks, but have only received one resume so far.

“We have reached out to a couple of local attorneys, but they do not have any desire to as they want to remain in private practice,” Lefebure said. “It is becoming a stressor in the office because we have all had to cover additional duties.

“It is an ongoing problem as there just aren’t any younger attorneys in the area.”

It is a problem that is coming to a head, Lefebure said. The positions are for a prosecutor to work in Wood County Magistrate Court and for a prosecutor who can work drug cases.

“The people who are here, it is not enough money,” Lefebure said.

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo asked if Lefebure had reached out to people in Washington County and elsewhere that could practice law in West Virginia.

“Many of those are in private practice and want to remain that way,” Lefebure responded.

“It is becoming frustrating and we don’t know what to do,” he said.

In other business, commissioners said they had nine people interested in serving on the new Ambulance Authority Board. They will bring the people in soon to conduct interviews.

Commission President Blair Couch was absent from Thursday’s meeting.