CHARLESTON — Despite a new law designed to help metro government come to West Virginia’s largest county, leaders say the idea is dead.
Charleston Mayor Danny Jones and Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper say there’s not enough public support to consolidate county and municipal governments so they won’t pursue the issue.
“This is not going anywhere,” Jones said Thursday during a metro government committee meeting. “It’s time to move on.”
Several West Virginia cities and counties have discussed merging as a way to control costs and eliminate duplication of services.
This year, the Legislature allowed counties with at least 150,000 people and a major city to opt for metro government with a simple majority, instead of 55 percent of the vote. In effect, the law only applies to Kanawha County, which has about 191,000 residents. Charleston has 50,846, according to the U.S. Census.
Jones and Carper, though, say there’s no chance of convincing rural residents or towns like South Charleston, who’ve opposed the idea from the start.
Last year, Carper led a delegation of county mayors to Louisville, Ky., to see how consolidated government could work. Louisville and Jefferson County merged in 2003 and the city is run by a mayor and district council.
Despite the trip, Carper said county residents continue to have a negative impression about metro government because they don’t understand how it would work.
“Maybe we need to change the name to ‘community government,’” he said.
House of Delegates member Ron Walkers, R-Kanawha, said he’s heard from residents living in unincorporated areas of his northern Kanawha County district who are opposed to becoming affiliated with Charleston.
State Sen. Brooks McCabe, who has been the leading advocate of metro government, said he believes Charleston and Kanawha County can still benefit from metro-style government.
“I don’t plan on giving up,” said McCabe, D-Kanawha. “We’ve got to come forward with a proposal that can be readily understood” and then show how it can be implemented.
In the meantime, Carper suggested that Charleston and Kanawha County continue to look for ways to consolidate services. The city and county have already merged 911 emergency communications and housing authorities.
West Virginia
Metro plan is dead in capital
Leaders cite lack of support for consolidated gov’t
- West Virginia
-
-
Three aging state power plants to close
FirstEnergy Corp. announced Wednesday it will shut down three aging coal-fired power plants in West Virginia later this year.
The company’s Monongahela Power subsidiary will retire the Albright, Willow Island and Rivesville power stations by Sept. 1, affecting a total of 105 workers. -
Bills would ban children from tanning, tattoos
West Virginia lawmakers are looking to protect children from unhealthy decisions and to give parents more say in their children’s body art choices.
Bills moving through the Legislature would set the minimum age minors can receive their first tattoo and would ban indoor tanning for all children. -
Hackers post officers’ personal information
Hackers affiliated with the group Anonymous obtained personal information for more than 150 police officers from an old website of the West Virginia Chiefs of Police Association and posted the data online.
The FBI is investigating, said William Roper, the association’s president and the police chief of Ranson said. -
Bill would clarify secretary of state’s power
A West Virginia legislator wants state law to say clearly that the secretary of state has the authority to verify whether candidates running for election are eligible to hold office.
Sen. Clark Barnes, R-Randolph, introduced a bill Tuesday that would allow the secretary to refuse to certify candidates and keep them off the ballot if they don’t meet all the legal and constitutional requirements to serve. -
USDA kills 8 coyotes at University Town Centre
U.S. Department of Agriculture employees have killed eight coyotes in a hilltop shopping center complex near Morgantown. They aren’t sure how many remain nearby.
-
Texting bill evolves, heads to House
West Virginia drivers could get a ticket for texting or talking on their cellphone while driving under a bill the Senate unanimously approved Monday.
-
W.Va. texting bill evolves, heads to House
The Senate has approved a bill that would allow police to ticket drivers for texting or talking on their cellphones while on the road.
-
Report: Residents lacking savings
A nonprofit group says nearly one in five West Virginia residents have almost no savings or other assets to weather a financial crisis.
-
Lawmakers navigate lobby ban, social media
In this era of Twitter and smartphones, citizens and lobbyists alike have all sorts of ways to reach out to lawmakers at a moment’s notice. But the West Virginia Legislature has rules meant to insulate its members from last-minute pressures while they’re debating and voting on bills.
-
Firm shows off ‘Guardian Angel’ for miners
A West Virginia company is working on a piece of equipment designed to keep miners safer.
Trinity Resources, headquartered in Putnam County, demonstrated its a mobile mine safety chamber this week at the West Virginia Mining Symposium in Charleston. - More West Virginia Headlines
-
Three aging state power plants to close
