WINFIELD. W.Va. -- Putnam County commissioners rejected a proposal Tuesday that would have prohibited county employees from running for elected county office.

County attorney Jennifer Scragg proposed commissioners add the policy to the county Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual, which is up for renewal. She said it was based on state law, which prohibits state employees from running for public office.

Scragg pointed to last year's election in which Sherry Troyer Haynes, then an employee in the assessor's office, ran against her boss, Peachie Arthur, in a sometimes bitter campaign. Hayes ousted Arthur in November by less than 1 percent of the vote.

Scragg said several employees in the assessor's office resigned after the election because of tension and loyalty.

"[To] take on your boss, it's kind of, to me, insubordination," she said.

Darlene Smith, a 28-year employee of the Putnam circuit clerk's office, ran for that job last year after the death of Donald Wright. She lost a close vote to Ronnie Matthews, and is still an employee in the circuit clerk's office.

Commissioners declined Scragg's suggestion. "My biggest concern is the teeth in it. I don't think we can enforce this," said Commissioner Gary Tillis.

Under the proposal, a county employee would have to resign to run for office, Tillis said. If they didn't, the employee's boss would have to fire him or her -- which would be a "huge black eye" against the boss if they were running against one another, he said.

Commissioner Joe Haynes agreed. "Sometimes the best qualified person is the person in the office," he said. "Most of us can't afford to quit our job."

WINFIELD. W.Va. -- Putnam County commissioners rejected a proposal Tuesday that would have prohibited county employees from running for elected county office.

County attorney Jennifer Scragg proposed commissioners add the policy to the county Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual, which is up for renewal. She said it was based on state law, which prohibits state employees from running for public office.

Scragg pointed to last year's election in which Sherry Troyer Haynes, then an employee in the assessor's office, ran against her boss, Peachie Arthur, in a sometimes bitter campaign. Hayes ousted Arthur in November by less than 1 percent of the vote.

Scragg said several employees in the assessor's office resigned after the election because of tension and loyalty.

"[To] take on your boss, it's kind of, to me, insubordination," she said.

Darlene Smith, a 28-year employee of the Putnam circuit clerk's office, ran for that job last year after the death of Donald Wright. She lost a close vote to Ronnie Matthews, and is still an employee in the circuit clerk's office.

Commissioners declined Scragg's suggestion. "My biggest concern is the teeth in it. I don't think we can enforce this," said Commissioner Gary Tillis.

Under the proposal, a county employee would have to resign to run for office, Tillis said. If they didn't, the employee's boss would have to fire him or her -- which would be a "huge black eye" against the boss if they were running against one another, he said.

Commissioner Joe Haynes agreed. "Sometimes the best qualified person is the person in the office," he said. "Most of us can't afford to quit our job."

Also Tuesday, Harvey Tribble of Manila Ridge addressed commissioners about the possible development of wind farms in Putnam and Mason counties.

Tribble said Appalachian Electric Power put in transmission lines along the Ohio River in the 1960s, and several farmers in the area have expressed interest in leasing their land for the windmills.  

Commissioner Steve Andes said development of a wind farm would have to start at a business level. He recommended Tribble contact the county Development Authority and have an ad placed on its Web site.

The Web site for the county development authority has received about 48,000 hits, with a good portion from international businesses, Andes said.

"It's a good starting point," he said.

Also Tuesday, commissioners appointed Amanda Curry to the Development Authority. Curry will replaced Vince Workman, who stepped down earlier this month.

@tag:Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.