KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. –Kanawha County Commissioner Lance Wheeler participated in his final commission meeting Thursday afternoon before beginning his new role as executive director of the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority.
The KCEAA unanimously approved Wheeler as its new executive director following a 28-minute executive session during its meeting Thursday.
Wheeler has served on the commission since his election in 2020, including a term as commission president in 2024.
He said the moment was bittersweet.
“It took some time for me to figure out those words because I have loved and cherished my time as a county commissioner, as a service to the citizens of Kanawha County and its people and to the growth that we’ve seen since I’ve been here,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler succeeds Jason Sergent, who was appointed interim executive director after Monica Mason resigned in May.
During the meeting, Wheeler read from his resignation letter, highlighting the projects he helped bring to fruition.
Among those projects were bringing 30 miles of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails to Kanawha County for the first time, developing the Shawnee Sports Complex, improving the golf courses at Big Bend and Coonskin parks, and the Appalachian Outlaw Trails.
He also highlighted upgrades to county parks, including replacing aging equipment, particularly at Meadowood Park in Tornado.
Wheeler said the upgrades show the community that resident’s matter.
“These investments may seem small, but they shape childhoods, bring neighbors together, and tell every family they belong here,” he said.
Wheeler’s last day on the commission is June 30.
He said serving the county has been a tremendous honor.
“Serving the people of Kanawha County has been one of the greatest honors of my life, I am grateful for my fellow commissioners, our county employees, our first responders, our community partners, and the residents who care so deeply about the future of this county,” Wheeler said.
He said public service has always been his calling and that he looks forward to continuing that work in his new role.
“Whether serving as county commissioner or now as executive director, my motivation remains the same, to serve the people of Kanawha County, I am proud of the values we have worked together to provide transparency, professionalism, accountability, and the exceptional work of our county employees to the citizens we serve,” Wheeler said.
He will assume his new role on July 1.