April 28 2021
Before we get
started with the April 28th meeting of the Clay County
Commission, a note.
During the last CCC gathering, the elected folks voted to seek funding for a $44,000 vehicle for use during times of emergency. Before today's meeting we asked, what is this?
Commissioner David Schoolcraft is the master mind behind the purchase and provided: they are seeking a Ford Explorer, and if they get it, it will be 100% funded by a CARES grant.
During the last CCC gathering, the elected folks voted to seek funding for a $44,000 vehicle for use during times of emergency. Before today's meeting we asked, what is this?
Commissioner David Schoolcraft is the master mind behind the purchase and provided: they are seeking a Ford Explorer, and if they get it, it will be 100% funded by a CARES grant.
Jennifer Piercy
OK, For the April
28th meeting, somewhere around 15 were in the peanut gallery.
In addition to the normal meeting, the CCC held a public
hearing on raising 911 fees. We will cover both meetings in
this article.
How many of you cornfused when the Republicrap Legislature is in session? How about when they come up with lame brain bills sure to destroy what's left of the State?
Our Commission belongs to the County Commissioner's Association of W Va. Jennifer Piercy is the Grand Poo bah of that organization. She was on hand to explain all the evils passed and tried to be enacted by the Legislature. From her spiel:
The latest session of the Gold Dome antics was "challenging"
During the next election cycle, removing personal property taxes will be on the ballot, the removal of the tax. If the taxpayers agree to the tax change, then the Legislature will be allowed to tax whom and how much.
Changes were made to how local Health Dept's makes rules. Thanks to the folks under the Gold Dome, now, anything Health Dept want to do, the local Commission has to OK it. To us, that sounds like the Repub's didn't like how locals handled COVID related issues.
Also to smack the Health Dept's in the chops, now, during emergency times, the State will come in and take over operations. Forget locals doing anything!
Ms Piercy speculated, later this year, maybe Summer, the whack jobs in Charleston will convene a couple special sessions to get what they couldn't ram thru during the normal session. Hot button topics include increasing sales taxes and changing the law to force Levy elections to be held ONLY during regular election days.
Commissioner Fran King asked why the Legislature didn't take up the biggest issue facing County Commissions, out of control jail bills. Did you know, when Green Shirts, Blue Shirts, and Brown Shirts take someone to Central Regional Jail, it's the county that foots the bill... $48.25 per day. Yelp, local funds are paying jail bills for State Agencies.
No answers came from Ms Piercy. FYI, Clayberry's Jail bill is North of $1.3million WOnder when the State is going to take the county to court over the long past due jail bill? Commissioner King reported, they had just received a nasty grams from the W Va Jail Authority
Finally from Ms Piercy, this state is losing population according to the latest census data. That means, we will be losing one of our Congressional reps in DC. Instead of three Congressional reps, we go down to just two. How the land mass will be divided? No one knows according to Piercy
Us in the peanut gallery are all curious on each Commission and Municipality in State receiving millions in free money compliments the new Biden initiative to jump start the nation. So far, no one knows how the $$ can be peed away. Sounded like, a meeting will be held May 12th with the State Auditor with all details on what can and can't be spent from the new pot of gold.
It's time to cut grass and weed whack. A question came up on how the CCC is going to keep the county's only public park, Spread Park, mowed and maintained. Ms King ciphered, it's going to take $8,000 to paint, repair and cut the grass 18 times. Summer time also brings up the need to make pool repairs.
King has asked the Legislature for emergency funding to the tune of $8K for the Park and $5K for the pool. She thinks around $10,000 will be provided by the Legislature via Delegate Hanshaw. So.... how about the rest of the needed funds? Fran says she has a top secret grant coming real soon that will cover everything else.
The meeting ended after 40 minutes of effort.
Don't go away, it's time for a public hearing to raise 911 fees.
How many of you cornfused when the Republicrap Legislature is in session? How about when they come up with lame brain bills sure to destroy what's left of the State?
Our Commission belongs to the County Commissioner's Association of W Va. Jennifer Piercy is the Grand Poo bah of that organization. She was on hand to explain all the evils passed and tried to be enacted by the Legislature. From her spiel:
The latest session of the Gold Dome antics was "challenging"
During the next election cycle, removing personal property taxes will be on the ballot, the removal of the tax. If the taxpayers agree to the tax change, then the Legislature will be allowed to tax whom and how much.
Changes were made to how local Health Dept's makes rules. Thanks to the folks under the Gold Dome, now, anything Health Dept want to do, the local Commission has to OK it. To us, that sounds like the Repub's didn't like how locals handled COVID related issues.
Also to smack the Health Dept's in the chops, now, during emergency times, the State will come in and take over operations. Forget locals doing anything!
Ms Piercy speculated, later this year, maybe Summer, the whack jobs in Charleston will convene a couple special sessions to get what they couldn't ram thru during the normal session. Hot button topics include increasing sales taxes and changing the law to force Levy elections to be held ONLY during regular election days.
Commissioner Fran King asked why the Legislature didn't take up the biggest issue facing County Commissions, out of control jail bills. Did you know, when Green Shirts, Blue Shirts, and Brown Shirts take someone to Central Regional Jail, it's the county that foots the bill... $48.25 per day. Yelp, local funds are paying jail bills for State Agencies.
No answers came from Ms Piercy. FYI, Clayberry's Jail bill is North of $1.3million WOnder when the State is going to take the county to court over the long past due jail bill? Commissioner King reported, they had just received a nasty grams from the W Va Jail Authority
Finally from Ms Piercy, this state is losing population according to the latest census data. That means, we will be losing one of our Congressional reps in DC. Instead of three Congressional reps, we go down to just two. How the land mass will be divided? No one knows according to Piercy
Us in the peanut gallery are all curious on each Commission and Municipality in State receiving millions in free money compliments the new Biden initiative to jump start the nation. So far, no one knows how the $$ can be peed away. Sounded like, a meeting will be held May 12th with the State Auditor with all details on what can and can't be spent from the new pot of gold.
It's time to cut grass and weed whack. A question came up on how the CCC is going to keep the county's only public park, Spread Park, mowed and maintained. Ms King ciphered, it's going to take $8,000 to paint, repair and cut the grass 18 times. Summer time also brings up the need to make pool repairs.
King has asked the Legislature for emergency funding to the tune of $8K for the Park and $5K for the pool. She thinks around $10,000 will be provided by the Legislature via Delegate Hanshaw. So.... how about the rest of the needed funds? Fran says she has a top secret grant coming real soon that will cover everything else.
The meeting ended after 40 minutes of effort.
Don't go away, it's time for a public hearing to raise 911 fees.
Commissioner Kinder Commissioner Schoolcraft
Commish Prez, King
Faithful Commission watchers
Also on April 28th, the
CCC called a public hearing so Clayonians could voice their
support or rejection on a proposed 911 rate increase of the
fee on landlines in Clayberry. Beginning at 11am on the
28th, only one person was in attendance for the 911 hearing.
That person spoke out against the tax (fee) increase.
Our 911 Director and OES Director were present but did not
utter a word for or against the increase.
Currently and for quite some time, the 911 account has had around $1.3 million on hand. Additionally, ever quarter, the State tosses in another 100,000+ dollars.
From up front, the Commissioner that fielded questions was newbee David Schoolcraft. Based on his answers, comments, sounds like he is fully in favor of the increase. Neither Fran King nor Connie Kinder joined in with a voice of support.
From Mr Schoolcraft.....
He recently traveled to Fayette County where the increase was suggested... in that county, the monthly fee is $4.50 compared to our $2 voluntary fee.... In Kanawha county their rate is much higher with an additional burden on business service ($8.50 per month per tele line) Schoolcraft says upgrades are needed ... last year, out of the million dollar account, $211,000 was used for software upgrades .. and, according David, the entire system needs to be replaced.
In the way of public input, the hearing was pretty much a bust. If you have a comment on adding more dollars to the unused pot of gold, it's time to call the County Commission before the decision is made.
One has to wonder, if we have a communications problem, why hasn't the $1.3m been put to use?
FYI, how many land lines are there left in County Clay? Answer : 2541.
FYI, Cell phone users pay an additional fee ($4/month) with those receipts handled by the State.
The final vote on the new tax burden is slated during the next regular Commission meeting in May.
AW
Currently and for quite some time, the 911 account has had around $1.3 million on hand. Additionally, ever quarter, the State tosses in another 100,000+ dollars.
From up front, the Commissioner that fielded questions was newbee David Schoolcraft. Based on his answers, comments, sounds like he is fully in favor of the increase. Neither Fran King nor Connie Kinder joined in with a voice of support.
From Mr Schoolcraft.....
He recently traveled to Fayette County where the increase was suggested... in that county, the monthly fee is $4.50 compared to our $2 voluntary fee.... In Kanawha county their rate is much higher with an additional burden on business service ($8.50 per month per tele line) Schoolcraft says upgrades are needed ... last year, out of the million dollar account, $211,000 was used for software upgrades .. and, according David, the entire system needs to be replaced.
In the way of public input, the hearing was pretty much a bust. If you have a comment on adding more dollars to the unused pot of gold, it's time to call the County Commission before the decision is made.
One has to wonder, if we have a communications problem, why hasn't the $1.3m been put to use?
FYI, how many land lines are there left in County Clay? Answer : 2541.
FYI, Cell phone users pay an additional fee ($4/month) with those receipts handled by the State.
The final vote on the new tax burden is slated during the next regular Commission meeting in May.
AW