By Stephen Smoot
Last week, the Harrison County Commission wrapped up a light agenda in a less than 10 minute session. Commissioners opened the meeting by reciting the Lord’s Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioners approved two access and remediation agreements with county property owners, one in Shinnston. Parties reached agreement in January and commissioners approved them approximately a month later.
The agreement came about due to “nuisance conditions . . . on the Parties’ property in Harrison County, West Virginia . . . thereby requiring specific timeframes for remediation.” The county and the property owners made their agreement after negotiations.
In the agreement, the property owners have 15 days to remove personal items, but cannot allow additional debris to build up. For consideration of $1.00, the county will obtain access to the properties to do necessary work to remove any nuisances.
Another item from a month ago also appeared on the agenda, the appointment of a county representative to Region Four. The memorandum of understanding that helped to establish the West Virginia First Foundation approved the dividing of the state into six different regions, the fourth of which contains Harrison County.
The West Virginia First Foundation was created by the West Virginia Attorney General’s office to help to distribute the funds awarded to the state in the opioid agreement. Drug companies paid out to states afflicted by the overselling of addictive prescription medication.
Late last January, Region Four created a committee of 26 representatives that shall “facilitate project submissions to the West Virginia First Foundation.” The Monongalia County Commission requested that the representatives’ names be submitted prior to March 1.
Those on the Region Four committee approved a motion from Agnes Queen, Lewis County Commissioner, to request that a representative from each county and each municipality be sent to form the new committee.
Harrison County representatives named to the already established local governments committee include Mark Rogers, Bridgeport interim city manager, Lexie Mayfield, recorder for Lumberport, David Hinkle, Harrison County Commission, Laura Pysz-Laulis, Harrison County administrator, Annette Wright, City of Clarksburg, and Tiffany Fell, Clarksburg city manager.
