KINGWOOD — The Preston County Commission will ask state elected officials to help find new jobs for 1,500 people who will lose theirs in 2021.
Last week Viatris, the new name for Mylan Pharmaceuticals, announced it will close the Morgantown facility July 31 and eliminate 1,500 jobs.
Commissioner Dave Price suggested sending a letter to Gov. Jim Justice.
“A number of people in Preston County work there. I really think that we ought to be encouraging our state officials to see what they can do to try and replace those jobs,” Price said.
Commission President Samantha Stone and Commissioner Don Smith agreed, and Stone suggested including other elected officials, too.
“There are a lot of families that are employed at Mylan that are in Preston County,” Stone said.
She also wants to contact the Preston County Economic Development Authority. There’s a lot of property that could potentially house industry, Stone said, mentioning property along Interstate 68.
County Administrator Kathy Mace said she will write the letter and have it ready for commission approval next week.
COVID-19
During his weekly COVID-19 update to the commission, Preston Health Department Administrator V.J. Davis said Mon Health Preston Memorial began vaccinating its employees Monday.
“The nursing homes should either have [the vaccine] or it will be in very shortly,” Davis said.
The health department plans to administer vaccines to its staff and EMS who want it Thursday.
“Slowly over the next few weeks, each week there will be vaccine flowing into the county and be given out,” Davis said. “As far as general public, they’re saying that the goal right now is to start with general public by March.”
He encouraged everyone to read information about the COVID-19 vaccines made available on the health department’s web and Facebook pages.
Preston County remains in red on the state DOVID-19 map.
The county annex was closed to walk-in traffic except by appointment the first three days of this week because of COVID cases among workers. Mace said the custodial staff has been doing deep cleaning.
“It’s very hard work and I do want to express my appreciation to the staff,” Mace said.
Commissioners also:
- learned four ventilators ordered with CARES Act money may arrive in the county by Dec. 30.
- reappointed Devra Deems, Alisa Kilkenny, Sara Saurino and James Tasker three-year terms on the Preston County Parks and Recreation Board of Directors. The terms will expire Dec. 31, 2023.
- agreed to follow the governor’s lead with state offices and close county offices Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
TWEET@DominionPostWV
