MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - The Berkeley County Health Department's board voted Monday to review the work of a sanitarian who was charged earlier this month with bribery in official and political matters and extortion and since has been terminated for violation of agency policies, not the alleged criminal activity.
A few hours after the unanimous decision by the Board of Health, the Berkeley County Planning Commission voted to table their review of a developer's preliminary plat for the proposed Stone Mill subdivision in northern Berkeley County because at least part of the project was inspected by the former sanitarian, Steven John Alenskis, of Charles Town, W.Va.
Alenskis, 44, allegedly charged a contractor $20 per perk hole - a pre-septic system installation test to measure absorption of water in soil at building sites - for a guarantee of passing the necessary inspections.
County Health Officer Diana Gaviria told the commission that she and sanitarian staff were directed to review Alenskis' work on projects where preliminary plat approval was pending.