| By Bob Weaver
A Charleston real estate developer and State Senator has been named to head a special commission charged with studying ways to reorganize West Virginia's county and local governments.
State Senator Brooks McCabe was appointed to the post by Governor
Wise.
The study will address the elimination of some county governments by
consolidating them with other counties.
The study comes on the heels of the state's announcement of more than serious financial woes facing the state in the next few years.
Skeptics could say consolidation efforts could be a way to help out-of-work bureaucrats keep a job in the metro areas.
Proponents claim consolidation will save taxpayers money and operate more efficiently.
Opponents claim that consolidation already experienced in West Virginia with regional jails and larger schools has dramatically increased the cost of operation.
Wise created the 27-member commission by executive order, and directed members to complete their work by the end of the year so it will be available to the the new governor.
Wise says local government is archaic and probably is not the most efficient way to deliver services and attract jobs and economic investment in the 21st Century.
The 27-member commission comprises county commissioners, mayors, county assessors, county clerks, representatives of business, labor and private citizens, state senators, members of the House of Delegates and "at-large" representatives.
There were no members on the commission from small, rural counties.
Ten members are from the Charleston-Putnam metro area.
A "private citizen" member appointed to the board was Steve Canterbury, who heads the widely disputed regional jail system.
No known opponents to consolidation have been appointed to the
commission.
The complete list of commission members:
County commissioners John Sorrenti of Hancock County, Dave Hardy from Kanawha County, Jim Caruthers of Putnam County and Pat Reed from Raleigh County
Mayors Nick Fantasia from Fairmont, Nick Sparachane of Wheeling, Danny Jones from Charleston
County assessors Cheryl Romano from Harrison County, Steve Grimm of Wood County
County clerks Michael Elliott from Putnam County, Barbara Core from Marion County
Business representatives Mike Garrison from Charleston, Andy Richardson from Charleston, Dale McBride of Morgantown
Labor representatives Judy Hale from Charleston, Gary Tillis from Charleston
Private citizen representatives Steve Canterbury from Charleston, Vicki Douglass of Martinsburg
Senators Brooks McCabe from Charleston, Ed Bowman from Weirton, Robert Plymale of Ceredo
Delegates Sam Cann from Clarksburg, J.D. Beane of Parkersburg, Tim Ennis from Wellsburg
At-large representatives Delegate John Doyle from Shepherdstown, Lowell Johnson of Lewisburg, Ed Staats from Parkersburg.
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