MORGANTOWN — The Monongalia County Commission approved an order Wednesday memorializing its June 23 decision to disapprove medical cannabis dispensary regulations adopted by the county’s board of health.
That vote represented the state’s first enactment of Senate Bill 12, which took effect June 2. The law amended state code (16-2-11) to mandate the board of health’s appointing authority either approve, disapprove or amend all health department mandates within 30 days of passage.
As such, Wednesday’s order was adopted to establish a kind of precedent for elected bodies across the state.
The two-page order lays out a brief timeline of the issue before reiterating the commission’s unanimous belief that the rules passed on May 27 by the board were “beyond the lawful power and authority of the MCBH to adopt or enforce.”
Even so, the order points out that the “commission does not question the sincerity or efforts of the MCBH, acknowledges and shares many of the MCBH’s safety concerns about Medical Cannabis operations within Monongalia County, and agrees that existing state laws and regulations appear unfinished and/or insufficient to address legitimate concerns raised by the MCBH …”
Also on Wednesday, the commission adopted a resolution authorizing the issuance of not more than $15 million in bonds, Series 2021 A for the Morgantown Industrial Park.
Bond counsel Tom Aman, of Steptoe & Johnson, explained that the issuance will allow for about $5.2 million for infrastructure improvements in the existing park as well as work tied to the development of a reworked Harmony Grove interchange.
Assessor Mark Musick said the filing period for individual personal property assessment returns begins today and runs through Oct. 1.
Returns can be filed online at assessor.org. If you file online, do not return a paper form.
Musick’s office will once again conduct satellite sessions allowing taxpayers to drop off returns in person or purchase dog tags.
The first session will be from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Wednesday at Morgantown High School.
Lastly, the commission voted to cancel its July 14 regular meeting as members of the commission and staff will be unavailable.
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