MORGANTOWN — The Monongalia County Commission will get the audience with West Virginia Division of Highways brass that it’s been asking for.
During Wednesday’s regular commission meeting, Commissioner Ed Hawkins said he received an email inviting the commission to Charleston for a sit-down with Transportation Secretary Byrd White and Deputy Secretary Jimmy Wriston.
“This is for us to begin to resolve the issues concerning our questions on the roads in Monongalia County, as well as north central West Virginia,” Hawkins said, explaining that the parties will set up a date to “meet face-to-face rather than squeak or squawk at one another.”
Commission President Tom Bloom previously said the commission has attempted to meet with Governor Jim Justice and DOH officials since July.
At last week’s meeting, the body decided to send a certified letter to Justice including a stack of photos and complaints from county residents.
The commission is seeking a running list of what work has been completed and what the DOH’s plans are going forward.
In other DOH-themed news, Bloom said he’s received word from White that the DOH is in the process of bidding out the project to fix the lighting along Monongahela Boulevard.
Further, according to Bloom, White said the DOH will take action in the interim to improve visibility.
The commission recently requested assistance from WVU President Gordon Gee in pressing the DOH to fix the lighting along the corridor prior to WVU basketball season.
A request to the DOH regarding the Monongahela Boulevard lighting project was not returned in time for this report.
In other county news, the commission:
- Received a letter from the Clay-Battelle Public Service District opposed to any decision regarding the Morgantown Utility Board’s efforts to run a water line through White Park that could result in rate increases.
- Opened bids from Mavenspire Inc. ($359,900) and AEC Group ($328,864.89) for datacenter equipment, installation, training and disaster recovery.
The bids were forwarded on to the county’s IT staff for evaluation.
- Heard from Chief Tax Deputy Kelly Palmer who explained that 1,820 properties are currently listed as part of the sheriff’s tax lien sale, which will be held at 9 a.m. Monday in county commission chambers.
Palmer said people have until 5 p.m. Friday to pay the delinquent taxes, which are from the 2018 tax year.
