Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
At a special Marlinton Town Council meeting Monday night, prospective chief of police Michael Morris appeared via Zoom call to discuss hiring him to serve the town of Marlinton.
Morris, who currently resides in Tennessee, told council he has served as chief of police four times in his career and he applied to work in Marlinton because he is looking for a rural town to live in and serve.
“I’ve been doing this a long time,” he said. “I’m looking for a good Christian town that would appreciate somebody that knows the run of the mill and can help keep the peace and protect the citizens. That’s what I’ve done most of my life.”
Morris added that he has worked in resort type areas, so he is used to dealing with an influx of visitors, such as Marlinton will see during ski season and mountain biking season.
Mayor Sam Felton explained to town council that once Morris’ certification from Tennessee is accepted by the state of West Virginia, he can then be officially hired, but the state requires a conditional offer of employment prior to approval.
Council went into executive session to discuss the matter and once out, voted and approved to hire Morris as chief of police, contingent upon his certification transferring successfully and his passing a background check.
