Sunday's Internet Edition, September 07, 2008.

Roane County Clerk Charles White said he learned just this week that filing for the nonpartisan office, new to the ballot this year, was supposed to have taken place at his office. The filing period was Jan. 14-26.

“I understood they didn’t have to file here,” White said. “I was certainly misinformed or misguided.”

White said the information was not given during a meeting of county clerks last fall that focused on the 2008 elections. Carolyn Hefner, assistant director of the W.Va. Conservation Agency, called White after being contacted by a reporter.

That was one more call than he got concerning the unpaid conservation supervisor position, White said.

“No one even asked to file,” he said. “Nobody even called about it.”

Roane residents will fill two seats on the board for the Little Kanawha Resource Conservation District, which also includes Calhoun, Ritchie, Wirt and Wood counties.

Hefner said anyone interested in the position could file in White’s office and pick up a certification packet that must be mailed to the state conservation agency office in Charleston by Friday. She said those candidates would not appear on the ballot for the general election this fall, but would be certified as write-ins.

“If no one files, the conservation district will make two nominations for each seat,” Hefner said. Those nominations will then be sent to the W.Va. State Conservation Committee, which will make the final decision.

At least two district supervisors will be elected in each county that has candidates in the general election. The person with the most votes will earn a four-year term, with the runner-up receiving a two-year term.

Supervisors attend regular board and district meetings, work with legislators and county groups to promote local conservation and are actively involved in the financial management of the district.

A recent lawsuit contending that supervisors who spend government money should be elected rather than appointed caused the position to be added to the ballot.

Roane’s current district supervisors, Jim Wood and Jim Ashley, were appointed after no candidates signed up to run in what formerly was an election managed by the local Farm Service Agency office. Wood has said he would not seek the office this year.

Despite the lack of interest in the position, White said he was surprised to receive the call from Hefner about the filing problem.

“I told her I was completely confused,” he said. “At least I didn’t turn anyone down.”