County approves request for surplus funds

Morgan County government ended the 2009 fiscal year with a total carryover of $451,906, according to the County Clerk's office. Of that surplus, $150,000 is earmarked as carryover in the 2010 budget.

The county commissioners met on June 26 to discuss how a projected carryover would be distributed or spent in the new budget year.

From the $301,000 surplus that wasn't earmarked in the new budget, the following funding requests were granted:

—$1,000 to the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District.

—$1,000 for the Morgan County Teen Court.

—$5,000 for the Boys & Girls Club.

—$20,000 to the Morgan County Solid Waste Authority.

The commissioners also agreed to set aside $10,000 for the local Health Department to buy swine flu vaccines if the need arises.

Funds from the carryover that are retained by the county — roughly $254,000 — may be spent on a number of unfunded projects.

County officials said the carryover might also be needed to cover shortfalls in tax revenue in the coming year.

Possible expenditures from the carryover include reviving the county's Community Service program for local offenders, covering moving costs when county offices relocate into the new courthouse, paving the lot where the county trailers now stand, matching the Paw Paw Bends Rail-Trail grant, building an addition onto the Animal Control kennel building and adding another full-time Animal Control employee.

"We tried to create a budget for the carryover, but we don't expect to spend all of it. We want to keep a safe cushion for the county," said Commission president Brenda Hutchinson.

Other funds awarded

From hotel tax funds, the commissioners also granted $12,500 in funding requests. Hotel taxes are collected by lodging facilities in the county and must be used for tourism-related projects or community improvements.

—$1,500 to the Cacapon State Park Foundation.

—$1,000 to the Berkeley Springs State Park Historical Foundation.

—$5,000 to the Morgan County Fair.

—$4,000 to the Museum of the Berkeley Springs.

—$1,000 to the Pleasant View Community Center.