Published: March 26, 2008 09:40 am         

Mineral County commissioners eke out money for pay raises, libraries

KEYSER - After what President Janice LaRue called "hours of struggling," the Mineral County commissioners were able to eke out enough money in the 2008-2009 budget for a $1,000 across-the-board pay raise for all county employees, as well as a small increase in their annual contributions to all the county's libraries.

County Coordinator Mike Bland said the officials were able to come up with the increases in the proposed budget without raising any taxes, as some other counties in the state have done.

"I think we did really well with what we had," LaRue said.

"We've been very fortunate," Commissioner Cindy Pyles agreed, noting that "having a good county coordinator really pays off."

In addition to the pay raises, the commissioners set aside enough money for one additional police cruiser for the sheriff's department, and will split the cost of one additional deputy, with half the cost coming from the home confinement revenues.

Sheriff Gary White had originally asked the commission for two new deputies and three new cruisers, but the commissioners said there was just not enough money in the budget to fund his request.

Bland said they were able to give slight increases to the county's libraries, however, with the Keyser-Mineral County Library to get an additional $5,000 over last year's $50,300 contribution.

Library Director Connie Sutton had asked the commissioners for the additional money this year to help cover the impending increase in minimum wage, as well as increases in the cost of insurance for the employees.

The Mineral County Library System includes the branch libraries in Fort Ashby and Burlington.

The Piedmont Library, which operates independently, is set to get a total of $5,000 from the county, while the Elk Garden Library will receive $2,500.

Money for the libraries and other outside agencies comes from the county's projected coal severance revenues, which are estimated at about $71,000, Bland said. Other agencies receiving contributions from that fund include the Family Crisis Center, the Developmental Center and Workshop, Potomac Headwaters Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), Potomac Valley Transit Authority and others.

LaRue said all the outside agencies with the exception of the libraries will remain at basically the same level of funding as the current year.

As for the county departments, the commissioners have not yet made a final decision on funding for the Mineral County Health Department.

Director A.J. Root told the commissioners earlier this month that it was possible the health department could be facing up to a 60 percent cut in funding, but the final figures had not yet been determined.

LaRue said Tuesday that the commissioners are waiting until Root gets the final word on his state funding before they finalize his budget.

The budget must be submitted to Charleston by the end of March. Once it receives state approval, the commissioners will meet on April 15 to officially lay the levy.

The next regularly scheduled meeting is April 8 at 9:30 a.m.

Contact Liz Beavers at lbeavers@times-news.com.