Full slate in store for Mon County Day at the Legislature

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia and Preston counties are taking over the state capital Tuesday, as part of their day at the Legislature.

Monongalia County Day at the Legislature, in conjunction with Preston County, gives residents from each county the opportunity to meet with West Virginia’s legislators, department secretaries and other state officials to address issues that the counties are experiencing.

“Monongalia and Preston County are very, very connected, and we have some similar interests,” said Eldon Callen of the Monongalia County Chamber of Commerce.

Callen said there’s two main topics that he is aiming to address while in Charleston.

“First, we’re going to thank them for the Roads to Prosperity and the local act for our roads, but more importantly, we need to emphasis that we need concrete measures for this Roads to Prosperity program,” he said. “We really need to see those jobs, and we need to see those roads improving. We’re going to be looking to the legislature and their oversight procedures to deliver those numbers to us so we know that it is successful on all fronts.”

The group will also have a full day of meetings, starting with the Department of Tourism at 9:30 a.m., as well as Division of Highways, Secretary of State, Secretary of Education, and last but not least, Gov. Jim Justice.

“At 11 o’clock, everyone either gathers at the Senate or the House and we have a resolution that’s presented,” Callen said. “They go in and get a picture with the Senate and the House, respectively. Afterward, it’s a regular thing for the Delegates and Senators to come out and see the vendors.”

Numerous of vendors from Monongalia County have signed up for the day, including the the Greater Morgantown Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Morgantown Utility Board, the Monongalia County School Board and the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), as well as several local hotels and restaurants.

In addition to the vendors, Monongalia County has a busload of over 20 residents traveling to Charleston as part of Monongalia County Day at the Legislature.

Preston County is taking about 65 people, said Roberta “Robbie” Baylor, executive director of the Preston County Economic Development Authority.

“We have people who are displaying, people who are just going to be there for the day, and that number doesn’t count our Preston High School students who are going down, which is another 50, and it doesn’t count the Preston senior citizens that are going down,” Baylor said.

Preston High School’s ROTC students will be traveling along and doing the flag ceremony in the House this year.

“It’s great exposure for them, and they do a wonderful job. It’s a great program,” Baylor said. “We’re also bringing a local preacher with us to do the invocation and the opening in the House as well. It’s a great opportunity for everybody.”

The bus will depart Morgantown at 6 a.m. Tuesday. Those traveling separately are welcome to join the Chamber for breakfast at 8 a.m. at the Capitol Rotunda.