County approves special prosecutor

Attorneys to fill in for Rings, who is recused from woman’s case

The Washington County Commission on Thursday approved the appointment of a special prosecutor to handle a case from which county prosecutor Kevin Rings is recused.

Commissioners approved the appointment of Marietta attorneys Paul Bertram III and Daniel Everson to manage prosecution of the state case against Amy Davis, a 34-year-old woman from Belpre who was convicted for her involvement in a drug dealing enterprise but also is working with the prosecutor's office as a victim in an assault and kidnapping case. Last year, Davis alleged that Rings exhibited inappropriate behavior toward her in his office and in an exchange of text messages.

Rings said Thursday Bertram will manage remaining actions in the Davis case and has agreed to do so at no cost to the county.

Davis, according to the case assignment office for Washington County Common Pleas Court, is scheduled for a hearing Monday in connection to probation violations. Rings said she is currently in custody at the county jail.

Davis is accused of failing to comply with community control conditions, including changing her address without approval of her probation officer, using illegal drugs and failing to attend mandated sessions at a recovery center.

In other business, county commissioners approved receipt of notification that Buckeye Hills Resource Conservation and Development intends to wind down its operations over the next year. The nonprofit, funded by the USDA, is unrelated to Buckeye Hills Regional Council. Commissioner David White said the agency acted primarily to approve, convey and administer a variety of economic development loans to small businesses, but its government funding ended in 2011, and since then it has continued through intermittent grants.

"They see the writing on the wall. They only have two employees, they're both leaving this year and there are no resources to train anyone else," White said. "The outstanding loans will be handed over to another agency."

Commissioners also approved repairs to the clock in the tower of the Washington County Courthouse after reading a request from building and grounds supervisor Tim Marty, who said the clock's strike mechanism is no longer working. The request included numerous electrical parts replacements, maintenance work and adjustments. Marty recommended accepting an offer to do the work for $4,500 by The Tower Clock Company of South Charleston, W.Va.

"This company has worked on that clock for 34 years and they're only one I trust," Marty said. "They restored it from non-running condition and in 2000, completely disassembled, repaired and put it back together. I don't want another company messing with something that's this big a part of our town."

The commission also approved purchase of an excavating machine for $207,000, a replacement for a 1993 piece of equipment.