Pocahontas County Soon to Begin Accepting On-line Hotel Occupancy Tax Payments

At the March 6^th Pocahontas County Commission Meeting, Will Smith from West Virginia Interactive offered a contract to the Commissioners whereby Hotels, Motels, and other Lodging businesses can pay their Hotel Occupancy Taxes on-line using credit cards or other on-line forms of payment. WV Interactive already receives other County tax payments and the Solid Waste Authority payments. Melissa Bennett, the County Clerk told the Commissioners that receiving payments through WV Interactive has worked out well for the Clerk’s Office.  These on-line services will not cost the County anything. Tax payers using the service for convenience will pay a small fee to WV Interactive. The Commissioners voted to approve entering into this contract with WV Interactive.

Amy Scott addressed the Commissioners during the Hear Callers portion of the meeting to express her concerns that  pipeline construction crews staying in RVs without proper waste disposal systems may ly contaminate wells and bodies of water such as rivers and streams. She said several small RV parks had concerned her, but those turned out to have proper disposal systems, however she suspects there may be others who do not have those systems. Scott also said she is concerned with the lack of concern for the problem that she felt she received when she tried to bring the problem up to the County Sanitarian.

The Commissioners heard from Laura Young and approved a memorandum of understanding with the Pocahontas County Community Corrections Program for the upcoming fiscal year. It was explained that this Memorandum of Understanding is identical to the one approved last year except for the effective dates.

Laura also presented the Program’s application for the County’s Community Corrections’ 2018-2019 Grant. She explained that the total amount requested in the grant is $159,879.00 and that if approved by the State, the County Commission‘s matching portion will be the $59,879.00 while the State will pay the $100,000. She explained that the program will save the county far more than its share of the cost to run the program. The Commissioners approved the application.

The Commissioners approved the hiring of Roger Ober as the Full-Time Head Courthouse Custodian at an hourly wage based upon $32,000 annual pay plus benefits. Ober will start of March 14^th to allow him to work with retiring Head Custodian Mike Cain for a few days. Mike Cain is retiring after 20 years on the job.

Bob Martin, who in addition to being the Commission’s Counsel is also the President of the County civil Service Commission, delivered the Civil Service Commission’s Annual Report to the Commission. Martin pointed out that the report was prepared by the previous President, Howard Shinaberry, since Martin only took over as the President of the Civil Service Commission in January.

The report said that the Civil Service Commission is now holding monthly meetings. Martin also said that once he gets the procedures of the Civil Service Commission organized and in compliance with all statutes, he intends to step aside as President.

Martin also delivered his Counsel’s report to the Commissioners. He said he was working with the Day Report Program to revise their rules to be in total compliance with State statues, and when that is done he will help the Community Corrections Board to revise their bylaws.  Martin also reported that the Resort Area District Board elections were held on February 27^th and both he and Commission President Beard attended that election meeting as observers. He said that other than some questions about proxy voting the election went off well. There were also some questions about whether dual owners of one property could each cast a vote, but Martin said the election rules clearly state “one property – one vote.” Martin stated that now that there is a functioning and properly elected RAD Board, the Commission is now finished with its responsibilities to establish the RAD.

The Commissioners finished the meeting by approving invoices.