ENROLLED
H. B. 2691
(By Delegates Flanigan, Wills and Frederick)
[Passed March 12, 1999; in effect ninety days from passage.]
AN ACT to amend and reenact sections two, three, four and six,
chapter two hundred twenty-eight, acts of the Legislature,
regular session, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven; and
to further amend said chapter by adding thereto a new
section, designated section seven, all relating to the
Mercer County Governmental Council; expanding its authority;
and changing its composition.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That sections two, three, four and six, chapter two hundred
twenty-eight, acts of the Legislature, regular session, one
thousand nine hundred ninety-seven, be amended and reenacted; and
that said chapter be further amended by adding thereto a new
section, designated section seven, all to read as follows:
MERCER COUNTY GOVERNMENTAL COUNCIL.
§2. Purposes.
The purposes of the council are to:
(1) Foster and promote cooperation and understanding among the various governing bodies and officials of Mercer County, West
Virginia, including the Mercer County legislative delegation. A
desired effect is for Mercer County to present a unified voice
and vision to the state and federal governments for the
betterment of Mercer County and to ensure that the citizens of
Mercer County are heard by their state and federal
representatives and receive a fair and equitable proportion of
resources available from these levels of government; and
(2) Develop strategies and plans for supporting solutions to
problems and meeting needs of the county.
§3. Membership.
(a) The Mercer County Governmental Council is composed of
full members and associate members.
(b) The full members are the elected members of the
governing bodies of the municipalities located within Mercer
County, the members of the Mercer County Commission, and those
members of the state Senate and the House of Delegates elected to
represent Mercer County, or a portion thereof, in the
Legislature. The terms of office for these members are
coextensive with the terms of their respective elected offices.
(c) The associate members are:
(1) Those individuals elected to the following Mercer County
public offices: Sheriff, county clerk, circuit clerk, assessor and prosecuting attorney. The terms of office of these members
are coextensive with the terms of their respective elected
offices; and
(2) Those individuals who are elected or appointed to the
following offices or positions: Mercer County Economic
Development Authority; Bluefield city manager; Princeton city
manager; Region I Planning and Development Council; West Virginia
Division of Highways district office; Chambers of Commerce;
Mercer County Board of Education; Mercer County Health Board;
Bluestone Convention and Tourism Board; Mercer County Emergency
Services; hospital administrators of hospitals located in Mercer
County and others who may be appointed from time to time, at the
council's discretion. The terms of office of these members shall
be coextensive with the terms of their elected or appointed
offices or positions.
§4. Officers.
The Mercer County Governmental Council shall, at its meeting
in July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, elect from
among its membership a president, vice president, treasurer and
secretary, who serve in their respective capacities for terms of
two years.
§6. Voting.
The council as a whole may take up for consideration any matter brought before it by any member but only full members of
the council are entitled to vote on a matter. A simple majority
of the full members present voting in the affirmative is
sufficient for the measure to carry. However, no vote of the
council may have a binding effect upon any member in the
performance of his or her duties as an elected or appointed
official. The votes of the council are advisory only, except
when authorizing the expenditure of funds.
§7. Powers of the council.
(a) The council is authorized to receive appropriations,
gifts and grants from any source, including, but not limited to,
any municipality within the county and the county commission. It
may establish an account with a local bank for deposit of funds
received. The council may expend funds received in furtherance
of the purposes stated in this act.
(b) The council may prepare and distribute informational
materials to assist it in its activities.