Commissioner’s poor judgment

Dear Editor:

I believe Morgan County Commissioner Brenda Hutchinson used poor judgment that harmed and will harm the citizens of Morgan County.

First, there is the hospital sale. This sale must be compared with a similar hospital sale in Romney. That hospital business sold for about $5 million and had nearly no cash reserves. The Morgan County Hospital business had about $5 million in cash reserves but was sold by Morgan County for far less. The difference would just about pay for the courthouse or a savings of $1,500 for the average landowner. Commissioner Hutchinson is tooting her horn on the money she has saved when, in reality, she has burdened Morgan County.

The voters of this county did not reelect Commissioner Glen Stotler because the county commission voted for fire fees, ambulance fees and courthouse taxes. But these are only a tenth of the hospital loss.
Commissioners Hutchinson has promoted zoning. I take exception to to zoning for moral, philosophical and legal reasons. The government should not be controlling my responsible use of my land, which is more than 100 acres. People who may only own a couple acres have no right to tell me what to do. They did not work to pay for my land. They do not pay the taxes on my land. They claim to have moral authority through the socialist philosophy that all land belongs to the community. This communist concept is quite simply un-American.

Commissioner Hutchinson has promoted zoning without doing important “homework.” After the two public meetings, it does not meet the requirements of state law. A quick check of West Virginia law finds these requirements. Why didn’t the county and planning commission find them?
Taking time to meet these requirements would get in the way of her passions to control us and “protect the rural nature of the county.”

Unfortunately, this failure to do the needed homework and meet state requirements will ultimately fail to control anybody and will not protect anything. When this regulation hinders the rich, it will meet its doom in court. But until then, it will hinder the poor.

The taxpayer costs for zoning, by reasonable estimates, will be more than the courthouse taxes. And these taxes do not include the taxes on your increased assessments.

Maybe Commissioner Hutchinson should consider resigning.

Wes Belcher
Berkeley Springs