(Meeting Updates - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

PARKERSBURG – The Wood County Commission is expected to make a nomination next week on who they want to fill the remainder of Robert Tebay’s term on the commission.

Tebay officially retired and stepped down from the commission on Thursday.

Wood County Commission President Blair Couch said he and Commissioner Jimmy Colombo were talking to seven people who put their names in for consideration to fill the remainder of Tebay’s unexpired term which will last until Dec. 31, 2026.

The names of the seven interested people have not been released publicly.

A primary election will be held in May and the general election will be held in November. There are three Republican candidates filed to run for the seat in the primary, including Wood County Sheriff Rick Woodyard, Jerrod Gard and Greg Brannon. No Democratic candidates filed to run for the seat.

Couch said they were not considering any of the candidates who filed to run for the seat.

“We didn’t want to appear to give someone a leg up,” he said in why they weren’t considering any of the three who filed to run.

Couch and Colombo are talking to the interested people and believe they will have someone they will be able to announce as the nomination on Monday.

The commission has 30 days from Thursday to make the appointment.

The commission will be doing its annual budget soon as well as doing the May primary election and other events throughout the year including things for America’s 250th anniversary and more.