PARKERSBURG – The Wood County Commission set the county tax rate this week for the upcoming fiscal year.
On Tuesday, the county approved its county tax rate for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
The tax rate is expected to raise $15,742,419 from the county’s budget of more than $27.6 million.
The fees on each $100 appraisal for each class of property were placed at 13.81 for Class I property, 27.62 for Class II property, 55.24 for Class III property and 55.24 for Class IV property.
The overcharge for libraries approved by Wood County voters on November 8, 2024 would put its tax rate at 0.54 for Class I property, 1.08 for Class II property, 2.16 for Class III property, and 2.16 for Class IV property.
Commission chairman Blair Koch said the price had risen slightly “Broken.”
“You will raise an additional $75,000 (over the previous year),” He said. “She was young.
“We definitely stuck around and kept our budget low.”
With money from the American Restitution Act, Koch said, the county was able to afford things it didn’t have to spend from its regular budget.
“The county is in great financial shape,” He said “We wish we could have done more.”
The county budget gave workers a 4% wage increase and managed health care costs.
“It will always be a struggle,” Couch said.
During the committee’s regular meeting Thursday, officials unanimously approved an addition to West Virginia’s first memorandum of understanding regarding expected opioid settlement money to come as part of a cross-state settlement.
The county has negotiated with the City of Parkersburg, the mayor and city council, and they will split the proceeds from the opioid settlement with 45% going to Wood County and 55% going to the City of Parkersburg.
“I’d like a 50/50 split,” said the Robert Tebay commission.
“we tried,” Couch replied, adding that it would originally be 38% for the county and they were able to get it up to 45%.
“We gained an extra percentage,” Couch has been added.
Officials said it was the size of the city’s fire department and the fact that it is a paid department that gave the city the higher percentage.
The city and county incurred additional costs with the state’s opioid crisis.
Through all of their discussions, Couch said he did not expect to get a pre-screening. It will be something to interrupt over time as some companies participating in scheduled payments will happen over 15 years.
“Parts will come at certain points in time,” He’s asking their attorneys to give him an idea of how this will eventually come to the county, Couch said, adding.
Couch also said the county has yet to receive a figure of how much they will eventually receive.
He also submitted his name to Governor Jim Justice to consider placing him on the West Virginia First Foundation as a board member. The foundation will be responsible for distributing opioid settlement funds.
“Thus, the West Virginia First Foundation Board of Directors will play an integral role in protecting nearly $1 billion in settlement funds,” Couch wrote in a letter to the governor.
The council will consist of 11 members with five appointed by the governor. He cited his experience as a board member with the Ohio Valley Health Department, one of the largest health departments in the state, and other local councils that have seen the impact of the opioid epidemic.
“I want to be on that committee,” Couch said.
In other works:
* The Wood County Commission has begun receiving phone calls from clients in the Lubeck Public Service District saying they oppose WVAW’s takeover of operations. WVAW gave a presentation to the committee over a week ago about what they could do locally. The meeting was attended by representatives of public service areas in the region.
Officials said that customers received a letter asking for their support in opposing WVAW.
The commissioners instructed the county manager’s office to check with each caller to see if they were calling in opposition to WVAW or in opposition to a price increase, the Lubeck PSD recently asked for the committee’s approval.
Back in February, the district appeared before the committee to discuss an 8% increase in water and a 9% increase in sanitation. The Committee has not taken any action on this matter yet.
Claywood Park PSD also recently asked the commission for a price increase.
The Commission has advocated merging local public distribution systems as a way to save costs.
“I bet those people weren’t in the same room talking about anything,” said Commissioner Jimmy Columbo.
Local PSD officials want to maintain local control and feel that selling them to a company will significantly increase their clients’ water and sewage bills.
The commissioners said they plan to hold a public meeting, with more possible, to discuss the situation and go through WVAW’s offer with the public.
“This whole thing is months and months and months away from the committee vote,” Couch said.
* The Committee approved the appointments of Mike Beaver, Rick Woodyard, Charlie Myers, Jack Horton and Lou Beck to the Wood County E-911 Advisory Board.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at [email protected]