From left, Wood County Commissioners Jimmy Colombo and Blair Couch and County Administrator Marty Seufer discuss rising regional jail fees for 2026 on Monday at the commission meeting. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

PARKERSBURG — Jail fees and homeless issues in the coming colder months dominated discussions Monday at the Wood County Commission.

Commissioners and local coordinators are being proactive to get a centralized information and referral system in place ahead of the cold weather, commission President Blair Couch said. The commission met with Stacy DeCicco of the United Way, which has handled information dissemination through its 211 service, particularly for warming stations and homeless services; Sheriff Rick Woodyard; and Steve Belisky and Brenda Brum of House to Home, a day center where homeless individuals receive help and guidance.

Pop-up warming stations, while well intentioned, do not follow standards and regulations, Woodyard said. Established providers such as the Salvation Army and others that work with the United Way understand that, he said.

“We just can’t put people in a room,” Commissioner Jimmy Colombo said.

Woodyard recommended a central coordinator, the United Way, to keep things organized. Couch said “211 is the place to call for assistance.”

Steve Belisky and Brenda Brum representing House to Home in Parkersburg discuss expansions and operations at the homeless day shelter with the Wood County Commission on Monday. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

Usage of the 211 service statewide in West Virginia saw a more than 1,000% increase during the period when SNAP, the food assistance program, was uncertain because of the shutdown of the federal government, DeCicco said.

“I first thought it was a typo,” she said.

Staff were diverted to help with calls, DeCicco said.

In other business, representatives of the county and local agencies will meet later this month to discuss an increase in regional jail fees to be charged next year to counties for the incarceration of prisoners. Their input could lead to possible solutions, Couch said.

“There will be more meetings about this,” Couch said. “This is to kick it off.”

The increase, which follows 15% last year, is about 10% for 2026, Marty Seufer, county administrator, said. The daily fee per prisoner will rise from $80.72 to $90.53 in April, he said.

Wood County pays about $2 million a year in regional jail fees, Seufer said. While seemingly high, that amount is far less than some counties, he said.

In other business, the commission accepted a proposal from Empire Builders for the demolition and cleanup of 4405 Sayre Ave. in Parkersburg. Empire bid $9,500 for the work, Levi Brady, county compliance officer, said.

The commission also approved agenda items to consider nominations for boards and agencies, a procedural step. The commission will decide on the nominations in subsequent meetings.

The nominees and the boards are:

* Todd Shingleton, reappointment to the Mineral Wells Public Service District

* Roy Schleicher and Jeremy Montgomery to the Wood County Planning Commission

* John Kelly, Harry Silvis, Todd Nestor, Angi Smith, Chris Cochrane, Mike Matheny, Andy Daniel, Ryan Taylor, Shawn Taylor, Linda Wigal and Bob Fehrenbacher to the Wood County Development Authority

* Angela Brunicardi-Doss, Charles Hasse, Tonya Fought, Kenny Church and Doug Renner to the Wood County Community Corrections Advisory Board.

Vacancies also will be announced for the Lubeck Public Service District, the Wood County Parks and Recreation Commission and the Parkersburg/Wood County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.