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To the Editor,
In June 2016, the Hancock County Commission would not renew the standard animal shelter operation contract with a nonprofit that had operated the shelter for 20 years.
The nonprofit had accumulated over $300,000 in Animal Shelter Excess Levy funds from the 2008 and 2012 Animal Shelter Excess levies. Both levies had language stating the funds were being raised to provide financial support for the nonprofit, not the Commission.
The levies mandated funds raised could only be used to pay shelter operation expenses. The 2012 levy included an additional clause stating 20% of the raised funds had to be used for shelter improvements. What is important to understand is the commissioners controlled what shelter bills could be paid from the excess levy account, not the nonprofit! The commission was also responsible for approving shelter improvements funded from this account. So, who was actually responsible for the accumulated funds?
Again, the commissioners refused to renew the nonprofit's 2017 annual shelter operating contract without significant changes. Mandated changes included destroying animals as the primary shelter cost control measure and giving the commission authority to remove the nonprofit for not following this direction. The nonprofit would not agree to the contract changes and the commissioners took over control of the shelter on July 1, 2016.
The commissioners put in place a new shelter director and staff at a significant wage increase without public posting of the initial positions and candidate interviews. In some cases, positions were offered over a simple telephone call.
Since the excess levies stated the funds were being raised for the nonprofit and the nonprofit no longer had a contract with the county, the commissioners asked the W. Va. Attorney General's Office for a legal opinion regarding whom had spending control of the accumulated $300,000. In March 2017, the Attorney General provided a legal opinion. Neither the nonprofit or the county commission should have legal access to the funds. He recommended returning the funds to the taxpayers.
In July 2021, the Hancock County Commission filed legal action to gain control of the $300,000. If they were given control of the funds by the court action, the commissioners promised they would use the funds to eliminate collection of the current Animal Shelter Excess Levy taxes for tax years 2023, 2024, and 2025. This was agreed to at a July 2021 public commission meeting. A judge granted their request for control of the funds.
I recently paid my 2023 Hancock County taxes. The assessments included a 2023 Animal Shelter Excess Levy tax. Mr. Cowey needs to make a public statement indicating what is the commission's plan for the $300,000. Government transparency builds trust!
Can Commission President Paul Cowey and the other commissioners be trusted to honor their promise made at the July 2021 public meeting?
Rudy Rosnick
Weirton