County association dues are approved

The Morgan County Commission approved paying $4,000 in annual dues to the West Virginia Association of Counties at their Friday, August 24 meeting. The vote was 2-1.

Commissioner Brenda Hutchinson made the motion to approve paying dues to the association. Commissioner Tommy Swaim voted against paying the dues.

Swaim said he didn't feel they needed the duplication of belonging to two different associations. Each of the different county offices belonged to their own association.

"Our association does the same thing," Swaim said of the County Commission Association.

Swaim also said it was wrong to take taxpayer money to lobby for pay issues. Stotler agreed, saying that he had a real problem with the association lobbying for pay increases. But Stotler thought the group was a presence to protect the interests of counties.

"They lead the charge when someone's trying to do things that will cost us money," said Stotler.

Hutchinson said the West Virginia Association of Counties gave them their dues last year for free. They provide legislative updates to counties, she said.

County administrator Bill Clark was enthusiastic about the continuing support that the West Virginia Association of Counties gave to counties for positions on legislative bills.

Clark said he received information from the association three times a week. The Legislature is always doing things that costs counties money, said Clark. The county saves the $4,000 in dues a few times over by the bills that the association defeats, he said.

Clark said that he would go along with doing away with belonging to the other associations and uniting under the West Virginia Association of Counties. The association really looked out for county governments, he said.