Jessica Sheets

Blair County Planning Commission members Thursday named Jessica Sheets as the county’s new planning director.

Sheets succeeds David McFarland, who resigned April 30 after serving in the position since August 2009.

Sheets had been serving as a planning commission board member since her appointment in March and more recently had been named as the board’s treasurer.

She is leaving her position as business development director at Mountain Research Inc. to accept the planning director position.

“Jessica Sheets has 25-30 years of experience with municipal governments and planning and will bring that wealth of experience to the Blair County Planning Commission. Being a longtime resident of Blair County gives us the luxury of having a director that will be here and serving Blair County as long as she chooses to do so,” said board member Peter Folen. “She was appointed to the planning commission by the commissioners because of her background and her experience and her ability to serve the board. The board felt since Jessica was interested in the position we could move forward quickly and get a planning director on board as soon as possible.”

“I enjoy a challenge and am excited to see what we can do. There is a lot on the horizon for us, Sheets said.

“I am a proud Blair County native, and I possess the passion and vision to identify, manage and contribute to the development and completion of lasting, sustainable projects designed to enhance the livability, safety, and function of our communities,” Sheets said in her resume.

Sheets will take over the position July 12 and board members set her salary at $95,000.

She resigned her seat on the board and the treasurer position.

In other action, board members re-appointed Todd Lewis to serve as president for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Rodney Green, who had been serving as acting planning director since McFarland’s resignation, was re-elected as secretary. Sheree Luke was elected as treasurer.

Board members approved a proposed budget for 2026-27, which lists revenues and expenditures at $628,754. The proposed budget, which will be formally adopted July 30, includes no changes to the development review fee schedule.

“That is something we want to look at over the next six months,” Lewis said.

The proposed budget includes a 14% increase in employee health benefits and requires employees to pay a premium share of $51 per pay, which had not been required in the past. The employees will receive a cost of living adjustment of 3% to 5%.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.