Commissioners Brave Wintry Weather for CCAWV's 2014 Legislative Conference
On January 26, 2014, Commissioners from across the state gathered at the Charleston Marriott in Kanawha County for CCAWV’s annual Legislative Conference.
In spite of a snowfall that blanketed much of the state the night before, creating treacherous road conditions, the conference had a robust attendance.
Board members gathered for a meeting Sunday afternoon, which was followed by a Jail Steering Committee Roundtable discussion led by Chris Tatum of Cabell County. Joe DeLong of the Regional Jail Authority was on hand to give Commissioners an update. Afterwards, commissioners gathered for a Service Appreciation Dinner.
CCAWV Works With Lawmakers to Find Compromise on Pay Raise Bill
The 60 day legislative session came to an end at midnight on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Legislators managed to complete 199 bills (out of 1,876 introduced). The atmosphere at the Capitol became increasingly hectic as the clock inched closer to Midnight. Long discussions about SB 6 (the methamphetamine bill), as well as other controversial bills, in both the House and the Senate led to a harried final hour as legislators rushed to move through as many bills as possible. Several bills met their death as a result of the time crunch, including the much-discussed SB 379 (pay raises for county officials). CCAWV Executive Director Vivian Parsons and lobbyist Jim Bowen monitored this bill closely as it worked its way through Senate and then House committee hearings. The bill was amended in the House Finance committee to move back to ten county classifications (from the Senate’s proposed five) and give a 12% pay raise across the board to all county officials (instead of at a new term of office as the Senate had written). Additionally, at CCAWV’s pressing, the amended bill included changes to the Auditor’s test – insuring that both county revenues and expenditures were taken into account before certifying a county’s ability to afford the salary hikes. Even though CCAWV’s official position was against a salary increase in 2014, we felt this was the best compromise possible, as it gave Commissions a measure of control. However, the Senate rejected the House amendments, effectively killing the bill in the last hours of the session.
Governor Delivers State of the State Address
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin delivered his State of the State on Wednesday, January 8, 2014. CCAWV Executive Director Vivian Parsons was in the audience as the Governor addressed West Virginians near and far. He likened the work of his term to sowing seeds in a garden, a task he has always enjoyed. Both, noted the governor, require "planning, patience, and foresight."
He began by noting the work West Virginia has done to sow seeds for a healthy financial future. Sound oversight of the Workers' Compensation program has led to important savings for West Virginia, and the state has weathered the storm of the country-wide recession without dipping into reserve funds. Lawmakers and businesses have worked together to secure job opportunities that abound around the Marcellus and Utica Shales. The Governor talked about his commitment to creating jobs, even if he must travel out of the country to do so. While appreciating the unique relationship West Virginia has with Japan, the Governor spent almost two weeks last fall traveling around Europe in the hopes of kindling new, and hopefully prosperous, business relationships.
CCAWV Regional Roundtables Are Underway
In October, The County Commissioners' Association of West Virginia launched its annual Regional Roundtable meeting series. The meetings run from October through mid-December and are hosted by eight counties across the state.
They provide an opportunity for commissioners, legislators, and other elected officials to sit down and discuss issues that affect their particular region. Held prior to the legislative session, they are also a good chance for commissioners to review the CCAWV legislative agenda.
County Commission Outreach
In November, Vivian attended the HUB's board retreat. It is her second year of serving on the board, and she is joined by former commissioners Norm Schwertfeger and Reta Griffith as well as current Fayette County Commissioner Matt Wender.
While it is difficult to reduce the work of the HUB down to a single sentence, its mission has four primary goals: To catalyze community development in West Virginia; act as a liaison to strengthen relationships among community development stakeholders; build community development capacity; and develop and distribute resources for community development efforts.
It is worthwhile for commissioners to familiarize themselves with the HUB and its representatives as it is an excellent resource for community planning and development projects.
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