| Duties and Responsibilities of the County
Commission
The
Constitution provides certain powers to the county commission, but
these powers are limited to "the manner prescribed by law".
This
means that the county commissions' powers must be expressly conferred
by the Constitution or by acts of the Legislature.
With
respect to the powers of the county commission, the West Virginia
Constitution, Section 11, Article 9, specifically grants the following
powers and duties to county commissions:
The custody, through their clerks, of
all deeds and
other papers presented for record in their counties, with
responsibility for their preservation or disposal as may be prescribed
by law.
The
custody, through their clerks, of all deeds and other papers presented
for record in their counties, with responsibility for their
preservation or disposal as may be prescribed by law.
The administration of the internal police and fiscal affairs of their
counties, with authority to lay county levies, under regulations as may
be prescribed by law.
Serve as the judge of elections, overseeing the proper conduction of
the election and confirming results by canvassing. If
recounts
are requested, the commission conducts the procedure.
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Counties
have no jurisdiction over any of the municipalities such as
Blacksville, Granville, Morgantown, Star City or Westover, with the
excepting of approving petitions for minor boundary adjustments.
The
Commission neither owns nor repairs any roads, however they may
authorize the closing of a road or street that is found to be unused
and not within a municipality. This process is done by
petition,
usually with the owner of the property involved.
There general duties include
but are not limited to:
Preparation and adoption of a budget for all county offices in the
Courthouse, except judges and magistrates;
Laying the levy (setting the tax rates) based on assessed property
values;
Ownership and maintenance of numerous county properties, including the
Hartman Run Bridge that is scheduled to be taken over by the Department
of Highways.
Sitting as a Board of Review and Equalization in February of each year
to hear appeals on property values for assessment purposes and make
adjustments if necessary;
Appoints members of certain county boards, authorities and public
service districts;
Adoption of ordinances for the protection, safety and well being of the
people of the County
Grants approval of purchase orders and payment vouchers for all county
elected officials except for judges and magistrates; |
Chapter 7 of the West Virginia Code sets forth
their duties and responsibilities in a more specific manner.
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