POINT PLEASANT — A former Mason County Deputy whose termination was recently overturned by a judge won’t be returning to his post but will receive his back pay, as per court order.

Mason County Commissioner Rick Handley said the Mason County Commission recently complied with that court order by approving to pay former Deputy Robert Glenn his back pay as well as court costs associated with his wrongful termination court case - a case which was discussed at the most recent Mason County Commission meeting earlier this month. The commission oversees the budget for the sheriff’s department and therefore bears the financial responsibility.

Handley said Glenn’s back wages were approximately $24,000, while Glenn’s attorney fees, paid to Attorney Michael Eachus, were around $8,000. Also, Attorney Michael Shaw, Jr., who represented Sheriff David Anthony in the case, was paid around $2,500. In addition, Handley said Glenn resigned from his post as a deputy and obviously won’t be returning to Hannan High School as its resource officer.

Handley said during Glenn’s absence, the department was short a deputy but ended up paying for a deputy’s salary in the long run once the case was resolved. Handley attributed the outcome of the case to proper procedure not being followed – as did judge Thomas C. Evans, III.

This month, Evans ruled Glenn’s dismissal from his post as Hannan High School’s resource officer was done without providing Glenn with his statutory right to notice of a pre-disciplinary hearing which is guaranteed by West Virginia state law. This meant the decision to terminate Glenn was reversed. Evans said the notice of the pre-disciplinary hearing was Anthony’s responsibility. Anthony remains on leave from his post after being arrested on a wanton endangerment charge and being ordered to an inpatient rehab treatment facility for 90 days - he reportedly has not returned to his post since his arrest in November.

Glenn’s termination was upheld in an April hearing before the Mason County Deputy Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission — the commission upholding Anthony’s decision by a 2-0 vote. Glenn was terminated earlier this year after being accused of making an inappropriate remark about a female student to a male student. Glenn has denied the remark.