It’s time to make plans to attend the County Commissioners’ Association of WV’s Spring Board and Legislative Committee meeting scheduled for May 20-21, 2012, at the Mardi Gras Casino & Resort, Charleston, WV. This is a beautiful facility with a lot of nice amenities for your pleasure.

The Meeting will start on Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. with a Legislative Wrap up. There will be a welcome reception at 6:00 p.m. and Dinner at 7:00 in the French Quarter Restaurant.

Celebrating a Legacy of Women in Public Service - Award Winner

Nancy Cartmill received the "Mrs. Anna Johnson Gate Award" for Government. When talking about government, Nancy Cartmill’s name always seems to come up. Nancy was named an Outstanding Young Woman of America in 1972. She was appointed by Senator Rockefeller to serve on the implementation team for the National Commission on Children’s Report.

Legislative Session 2012 is over. As anticipated in presidential election years, and with a lagging economy, the session was a little slow and the legislation actually passed, was somewhat sparse for counties. Approaching our proposed 2012 agenda with these things in mind, CCAWV kept our priorities to a minimum. Our game plan was to look for new revenue sources, but above all, protect the current county resources and programs from erosion. In this context, I think we had a successful session. Several negative bullets were dodged and a few good things succeeded passage. Some good things, as in all sessions, were lost along the way.

We were very pleased that SB 487 passed. This bill broadens the definition of “economic development authority” so that all qualifying counties will have access to their share of coalbed methane severance taxes. Some county’s shares have been on hold in the Treasurer’s office for tax years 2009, 2010, and 2011. We were also pleased for passage of SB 362 that authorizes the issuance of $52.5 million in bonds for capital improvements for Cacapon Resort State Park (Morgan County) and Beech Fork State Park (Wayne County). Congratulations to the Morgan and Wayne County Commissioners on their diligent efforts! The debt service on these bonds will be paid from an additional allocation from the State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund.

May 7, 1939 – April 9, 2012

The staff of CCAWV joins with fellow Commissioners from across the state in mourning the loss of former Wayne County Commissioner, Jim Booton. He was a former President and Board Member of the County Commissioners Association. He was a true friend to the Commissioners’ Association and will be greatly missed by all of us.

James Harlen “Jim” Booton, 72, of Lavalette, WV, went to be with the Lord Monday, April 9, 2012 at Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House in Huntington.