A Commissioner's Report:                                               
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Updates from Jan. 22  County Commission meeting:

The key topics from the meeting were the budget,  commissioner assignments to boards and commissions and an update from PSD member Joe Hankins on a potential public-private partnership with JUI to provide water to mountain communities.

The budget projections anticipate total revenues for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 to be $17,600,000, about $1,000,000 less than budgeted for FY 2009.   This is not good, but even more alarming is the likelihood that FY 2011 will be worse, not better.  The County Commission needs to budget more than one year at a time so we can deal with what I think will be a bleak couple of years. 

Because of the rough economy, I have voted against two requests by department heads for new positions and/or restructuring of positions.  I do not intend to micromanage departmental budgets but I want to see the overall county budget for FY2010 before approving changes to our current budget. 

Department heads have been asked to submit their budget requests for the next fiscal year identifying what funds they need to deliver the same level and quality of services they are now providing and then to identify what funds they would need to provide new initiatives.

Joe Hankins, PSD member, reported that on February 9 the Public Service District board will be discussing and possibly acting on forming a public-private partnership with JUI (Jefferson Utilities ) to seek grant money to study the extension of water lines to the mountain.  I will be attending the meeting on February 9 as the newly appointed County Commission liaison to the PSD (see below).  In my opinion, JUI needs to prove a much greater commitment to the public interest before earning the right to partner with any  public agency.

We discussed County Commissioner assignments to boards and commissions and these are my key assignments:

1. Public Service District liaison 
2. Parks and Recreation
3. Region 9  (Region 9 will help prioritize funding and projects for the new federal stimulus package.  We need to make sure Jefferson County is poised for some federal funds for jobs.)
4. Solid Waste Authority
5. Water Advisory Board (this group is planning an water resources summit this spring; I hope the summit is the first step toward a coalition of environmental groups to make sure we are stewards of our natural resources for future generations).
6. Air Quality Control Board
   

There is no County Commission meeting on January 29 because of a WV County Commissioners workshop in Bridgeport.

My first two meetings as County Commissioner….

January 8 and January 15

I have now attended two meetings as a County Commissioner.  After two decades of being in the audience for County Commission meetings, I really enjoy the more comfortable chairs Commissioners get to sit in.

 I also realize many aspects of the County Commission meetings still make citizen participation difficult, including an agenda that does not show times of discussion or what actions are being considered.  I hope to work with my fellow commissioners on making the agenda more meaningful both to the commissioners and the public.  This includes posting the agenda earlier and getting materials to the county commissioners and the public sooner (I get the agenda packet at 3:00 PM on Tuesday—less than 48 hours before the meeting on Thursday). 

I plan to prepare brief highlights of the County Commission meetings each week and post them on my website, www.lynwidmyer.com.  Let me emphasize the word BRIEF.  I hope to flag items that I think will be of interest to residents and direct you to where more information can be found.

So, here is my first BRIEF listing of highlights from my first two meetings:

-A Public Hearing on a petition to incorporate MANNINGS will be held February 4 at 7 PM at Blue Ridge Elementary School.  More information may be found at jeffersoncountywv.org.  At the Commission meeting, I expressed my concern that the application is very brief and does not fully address what I believe the state code requires in terms of presenting a plan for how water, sewer, police, fire and other services will be provided.  Notices of the public hearing and copies of the incorporation petition have been sent to local governmental bodies, commissions and boards that have an interest in this petition.    I have submitted for discussion and approval at the January 22 County Commission a follow-up letter to these same groups, requesting them to comment on the annexation petition in terms of public policy issues and concerns at the Public Hearing.

-The County Clerk reported the requisite number of signatures have been obtained for putting the zoning ordinance on the ballot.  Before ANY election is scheduled,  the Clerk’s must add  polling places in a couple of voting precincts and a 120 day notice of public hearing must be provided.  So, this means no election on the zoning ordinance can occur for at least 120 days.

-The County Commission will hold a workshop with staff to discuss Jefferson County organization issues, including the need for written job descriptions for all employees.

-I asked the County Administrator to put together a list of projects that are ready to be built so we will be in good position to get some of the infrastructure money that our new President is likely to provide..

I was also successful in getting my first major environmental initiative approved:  the County Administrator will print Commission agenda packets and attachments back to back.  After the first meeting, I figured that policy alone will save a forest or two in the long run.

I hope these BRIEF updates will be helpful and I hope it will encourage you to keep checking my web site!  Please do not hesitate to contact me with your ideas or concerns:  lynwidmyer@gmail.com.