Nicewarner was arrested by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Friday and faces two felony charges for attempting to seduce a minor, 14 years of age, by way of a computer and distributing obscene material to a minor. The arrest occurred Friday afternoon when law enforcement executed a search warrant at the BHS field house and at Liberty High School where Nicewarner is a teacher.

 

"There is only one purpose of the August 1 meeting (and that) is to discuss and take necessary action on Josh Nicewarner," said Machin. "We'll be working on a notice for him, literally, tomorrow that the Board of Education will take action on August 1.

 

"He'll be entitled to come to the board and entitled to have counsel at that meeting," Manchin continued. "If he indeed does not show up the board will take the action to terminate him without a hearing."

 

Manchin said the hearing is the due process that he said needed to take place before a decision could be made by the elected Board of Education on terminating Nicewarner from both of his roles within the Harrison County school system. He added that given the timely notice and the ability to have counsel satisfies that requirement.

 

The hearing will be at the BOE offices on Main Street in Clarksburg. If there is a hearing, Manchin said the board will make the decision after its conclusion to terminate him or allow him to continue as a teacher and a coach.

 

"My recommendation is that he be terminated," said Manchin.

 

Whether the hearing is public or behind closed doors would be determined by Nicewarner or his legal counsel if they accept the offer to attend the hearing next week. Manchin said if Nicewarner appears then it would the decision of his camp to have it open or closed. 

 

The BOE did not make a decision on a permanent interim coach as many had reported. Instead, Manchin said that it could not be acted upon due to it not being on the agenda.

 

However, Manchin said that he has the authority to allow the school's principal, in this case Mark DeFazio, to name an interim to handle the first couple of days of practice until a permanent interim coach can be named. Practice begins Monday, July 31.

 

"Mr. DeFazio said he would like this to be as seamless as it can due to the emergency of the circumstances of the incident. He asked me at that time if he could put Johnny Cole in as the interim till such time that I could at least mention it to the board," said Manchin.

 

The decision on a permanent interim coach will be made as part of next Tuesday's regularly scheduled meeting. That meeting is at a different time than the 9 a.m. hearing.

 

Editor's Note: Dr. Mark Manchin is shown at tonight's meeting, while John Cole is assisting with a player during a regular season fame from 2017.