Jun 23, 2016 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – The search is underway to find a new Greene County jail warden to replace Harry Gillispie, who is retiring at the end of the month.

Greene County’s prison board voted unanimously Thursday afternoon during its monthly meeting to update the job description for jail warden and begin advertising for candidates within 15 days.

The search is needed after Gillispie, who has served as warden at the jail for nearly two decades, announced his retirement May 31. His final day on the job is scheduled to for July 1.

The prison board formally accepted his resignation by a 4-to-1 tally with Blair Zimmerman casting the dissenting vote as a symbolic measure for appreciation of Gillispie’s service.

Archie Trader was absent from the meeting and Dave Balint arrived after the vote.

“It’s been a good ride,” Gillispie said. “It’s been rough at times.”

Gillispie, who spent 19 years as the warden after previously working at the state prison in Moundsville, W.Va., implored the prison board to hire a person who is professionally trained to perform the job and certified by the state Department of Corrections.

“You will be missed,” said District Attorney Marjorie Fox, a member of the prison board. “You brought to our little county your experience and expertise.”

It was not known how long the process would take to interview candidates and eventually hire a replacement. Deputy Warden Michael Kraus, who will serve as the jail’s acting administrator until Gillispie’s replacement is named, said after the meeting he plans to apply for the permanent position.

When asked by a reporter after the meeting if he would be interested in the job because of his law-enforcement background, Sheriff Brian Tennant, who serves as the prison board’s chairman, said he would not be applying because of his current role as sheriff. However, he said he would be open to any proposal that would allow the sheriff’s office to oversee the jail “if it could save the county some money.” That suggestion was never discussed publicly during meeting, although the prison board met in executive session for about 30 minutes to discuss personnel matters related to the warden’s open position.

During the meeting, Tennant thanked Gillispie for his service.

“I would like to say thank you for your many years of service and wish you the best of luck in retirement,” he said.

Gillispie received citations of appreciation from the Greene County commissioners and the offices of state Rep. Pam Snyder and state Sen. Camera Bartolotta.

“We absolutely appreciate what you’ve done for us,” said Zimmerman, who is also a county commissioner.

Also during the meeting, the prison board tabled motions to renew contracts with Oasis Management Systems for inmate commissary services and Securus Technologies for inmate telephone operations. Board member Dave Coder asked for the votes to be delayed to have more time to review the five-year contract proposals and to allow the incoming warden a chance to offer input. The companies are continuing to offer the services on a month-to-month basis.

Gillispie also announced the shift supervisors will be trained next week on how to administer the opioid antidote naloxone. After the supervisors are trained, the rest of the jail staff will learn how to use the nasal spray. Two doses of naloxone will be purchased after the training is completed.