CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Kanawha County has its third county commissioner.
Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango announced Friday Republcan Austin Gessel has agreed to accept the appointment of the commission and serve for the next four months.
“He has agreed to serve and we’re very thankful for that,” Salango said Friday on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Gessel was one of three people nominated by the Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee to replace former commissioner Lance Wheeler after he left for the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority in July. The executive committee was called into the replacement process after Salango and fellow commissioner Natalie Tennant couldn’t agreement among themselves who should replace Wheeler.
The names of Gessel, Edward Burgess and Jared Page, the GOP nominee for the seat in the November election, were forwarded by the GOP committee to the commission for striking but right before Thursday’s meeting, the commission received letters from Gessel and Burgess saying they supported Page and wouldn’t accept an appointment. The commission went forward with its plans to strike and eliminated Burgess and Page leaving Gessel.
Page said he called Gessel after the meeting and urged him to accept the appointment.
“While I appreciate their support for me as the Republican nominee, I think it’s only right to put Kanawha County above politics,” Page said Friday on 580-Live with Dave Allen on 580-WCHS.
Salango said he also called Gessel.
“Thankfully, I think several prominent Republicans reached out to Mr. Gessel and I also reached out and said, ‘I know you wanted Jared Page to be on the county commission. We can’t play politics. We can’t play games,'” Salango said.
Gessel accepted.
Salango said he expects his swearing-in to take place next week. Salango believes he’ll be the youngest commissioner in the county’s history at the age of 27.
Salango said he didn’t want to go any longer with only two commissioners. He said if something would happen to himself or Tennant no county business could be done.
“Even though there was high drama, it did work the way that it should and we’re going to have a third commissioner and that’s all I care about,” Salango said.
Tennant said she’s also spoken with Gesssel.
“I personally reached out Mr. Gessel, and talked about the expectations of this office and conveyed to him that I look forward to working with him to uphold the standards of the Kanawha County Commission in serving the public,” Tennant said.
Meanwhile, Page is getting ready for the general election where he’ll face Democrat Paul Monroe for the a full six-year term on the county commission.