Berkeley County Commission approves routine business, signs maintenance agreement and audit authorizations

The Berkeley County Commission moved through routine business Tuesday morning, approving the agenda and two sets of minutes, recording a small number of abstentions for commissioners who had been absent.

The commission accepted several engineering recommendations to release development bonds for multiple Peckham/Pequ[e]m Meadows sections and declared a 1993 Humvee surplus. Commissioners approved the full consent agenda by voice vote.

The commission authorized the president to sign a license and maintenance agreement to give Parks & Recreation custody of 289 acres at Spring Mills Park so Parks & Rec can maintain the property until it is developed as a public park. County legal staff presented a draft building commission audit with no findings and the commission authorized the president to sign the audit documents.

Legal counsel asked the commission to go into executive session for pending legal matters; the commission recessed for an executive session with no action expected during that closed portion of the meeting. The board of review and equalization reconvened later to hear assessor-recommended valuation adjustments and a property-owner appeal related to a right-of-way (the Poland family matter). Assessor staff said they will prepare and forward the appellant's taxability question to the West Virginia state tax department for a ruling.