Latest news with #MikaelaBernard
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Terra Alta council approves 2025-26 budget and acknowledges recorders resignation
May 23—TERRA ALTA — During a special meeting Thursday evening members of the Terra Alta Town Council approved the 2025-26 fiscal year budget, but on Friday morning, the town's recorder submitted her resignation. In a post on the town's Facebook page, Mikaela Bernard submitted a formal letter of resignation to the town addressing the mayor and town council. In her post, Bernard stated she is stepping down from the position due to a multitude of reasons, one of which being the missing of the 2025-26 budget deadline. "With the missed deadline of the budget and now that I have all accurate and true information surrounding what needs to be done to attempt to solve what can be solved, I do not feel I can personally meet the obligations and the time and work requirement that will be necessary to do so due to my employment and having a new baby at home, " Bernard said. Bernard noted she did not know until May 12 that the budget needed to be completed, stating she was notified while working on matters leading to the upcoming municipal election. "But that's no excuse as my job as recorder I should have made sure to know this and know every aspect of the position, " she said. Bernard became recorder in 2023 as an official write-in candidate. Then-recorder Josh Dodge resigned from the post in April 2023, but his name remained on the ballot for the June municipal election. Dodge received 124 votes, and Bernard had 40. Bernanrd's statement noted the position of town recorder needed to be a full-time position. "My hope is that someone who has the ability and the time to do what needs to be done can be appointed to the position, " Bernard said. "I do not want to be in a position taking up space when I now know what needs to be done and I do not have the ability to fulfill it." An appointment may be unlikely, as the recorder position is on the ballot for the June 10 municipal election that will take place before the next town council meeting.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Terra Alta recorder resigns after town fails to submit budget
Video is previous coverage. TERRA ALTA, (WBOY) — After it was revealed last week that the Town of Terra Alta is nearly two months behind the deadline to submit its annual budget, the town's recorder has now submitted her letter of resignation. In a Facebook post made Friday by the Town of Terra Alta, Recorder Mikaela Bernard published her letter of resignation, saying that she feels the move is 'in the town of Terra Alta's best interest.' 'With the missed deadline of the budget and now that I have all accurate and true information surrounding what needs to be done to attempt to solve what can be solved, I do not feel I can personally meet the obligations and the time and work requirement that will be necessary to do so due to my employment and having a new baby at home,' she said. State Auditor's Office officials told 12 News last week that the town had failed to submit its annual budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 and was even weeks behind on an extension deadline. Failure to submit this budget means that no levy rate was approved for the town and, as it stands, the town can't collect taxes. In her statement, Bernard apologized to the town's residents, saying that she 'did not even know that it was a thing that needed to be completed' until being notified on May 12, but 'that's no excuse.' She added that she feels that the town's recorder 'needs to be a full time position in order to be able to do the job successfully.' 26th West Virginia ambulance service shuts down within 2 years 'My hope is that someone who has the ability and the time to do what needs to be done can be appointed to the position. I do not want to be in a position taking up space when I now know what needs to be done and I do not have the ability to fulfill it,' Bernard said. Bernard also thanked the employees she's worked with over the past 23 months. After 12 News initially reported on the town's budget woes, Terra Alta Mayor Dan Hauger issued a statement taking full responsibility and calling it 'a major oversight.' Despite being far behind the deadline, he affirmed that the town has contacted its accountant and is working with the State Auditor's Office to resolve this issue. 12 News has reached out to Hauger for comment on Bernard's resignation. Stay tuned for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
