Parking lot will be for county employees only
Commissioner Tommy Swaim has been negotiating for use of the parking lot behind the courthouse, where the temporary trailers sat.
The parking lot was recently paved by the county in return for the county’s use of the lot while the new courthouse was under construction.
The property is owned by Louise Stotler and Debbie Dhayer.
Swaim called Stotler during the Morgan County Commission meeting on Thursday morning, November 4, to finalize the proposal.
He told Commissioners Brenda Hutchinson and Stacy Dugan that Stotler has agreed to lease the lot to the county for $800 a month with the stipulation that a sign be placed at the entrance stating the lot was for county employees only.
The commissioners agreed to the proposal and Hutchinson asked Swaim to have a contract drawn up by Trump & Trump.
The parking lot has space for 40 vehicles and should free up other downtown parking.
The commissioners agreed that some form of identification for vehicles, either a decal or tag to hang from the rear view mirror, was needed to allow for parking enforcement.
Summit list
Commissioner Dugan presented her list of items for discussion at the upcoming Regional Legislative Summit at The Woods Resort set for November 30.
Her topics include a Division of Motor Vehicles satellite office for Morgan County, funding for the planned Cacapon State Park expansion, funding for a hospital access road, increase in funding for competitive arts and cultural facilities and the Homestead Exemption.
Other suggested items included allowing private school children to play public school sports, more authority for the county over animal issues, allowing local foods to be sold in schools, eliminating the food tax, and not requiring that prevailing wage rates be used for government projects.
Hutchinson said she would combine Dugan’s list with the list that she presented at the October 21 commission meeting.
Hutchinson also invited Commissioner-elect Brad Close to attend the summit.
Close and Dugan will attend a basic training session for county commissioners in Bridgeport on November 14 – 16.
Committee appointees
The West Virginia Supreme Court directed the county to form a Court Security & Emergency Preparedness Committee to plan for contingencies in the case of a manmade or natural disaster.
Sheriff Vince Shambaugh asked the commissioners to appoint Chief Deputy Tony Link, who is in charge of courthouse security.
They also appointed Emergency Services Director Dave Michael to the committee.
A training session for committee members will be held in Charleston in February with expenses paid by the Supreme Court.
Prevention grant
Grant Assistant Carol York presented the commissioners with a resolution to sign seeking a $68,913 grant from the Division of Criminal Justice Services for the Morgan County Partnership Juvenile Justice Community Prevention Title V program.
