MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Letters will go out next week advising a number of Monongalia County agencies they’ll soon get more funding from the county.
The Monongalia County Commission predicted a $4 million carryover in the budget. Wednesday when commissioners learned the final number was $2.5 million more than expected, they unanimously agreed where some of the money should go.
“One of the things we promised the people is that we would try to make up this one year, and one year only, any shortfalls if we had a carryover more substantial than what our projections were,” explained Commission President Eldon Callen.
Callen was talking about those outside agencies that were left out in the cold when coal severances taxes, typically used to fund their budgets, was $400,000 less than previous years.
A number of agencies that rely on the funds, including Mountain Line Transit Authority, the county library system and volunteer fire departments, asked voters to make up the difference in the primary election were 6 excess levies were on the ballot.
Voters turned down two proposed property tax levies. One would have provided funding to improve baseball fields and fund projects at the Botanic Garden. The other would have raised money for three of the county’s fairs and festivals.
Whatever agencies didn’t receive through coal severance taxes will be reimbursed because of the commission promise.
“This is a onetime thing. So, we’re able to make up that hold back. Every one of the agencies that had 25 percent held back last year will receive the check for the difference,” Callen said.
According to Callen, the county can place up to 30 percent of the budget into a financial stabilization fund. Some of the budget excess will be placed in the fund.
“It’s to secure situations where you may have a downfall like a business closes up and you lose a lot of jobs and it changes your tax base real quickly.” Callen said it’s been a priority since he’s been on commission to save for those times and use the fund appropriately.
With $6.5 million total in carryover, commissioners also have enough to invest in court house improvements.
Unused rooms after many departments moved to the Monongalia County Justice Center will receive upgrades.
That means county programs housed elsewhere can relocate downtown.
“The planning commission, the MPO is a cooperative group, I think we’re going to be moving them down, and of course our flood zone and GIS operations so it will all be in one court house and people will be able to make a one stop visit.”
Those programs currently work out of space at the Morgantown Municipal Airport.