Executive Summary

The Oil and Gas Inspectors' Examining Board is a five member board created by West Virginia Code §22C-7-3. The main responsibility of the Examining Board is to provide an annual examination to test individuals for employment as oil and gas inspectors with the Office of Oil and Gas. This examination process includes a written and an oral examination. The Board then maintains a list of qualified candidates to be employed as oil and gas inspectors when a position is vacated.

The Legislative Auditor found that the Oil and Gas Inspectors' Examining Board has not been very active in the past five years. Minutes of Board meetings were not available, and annual reports were not filed as required by the West Virginia Code. The Legislative Auditor questions the need of the Board since most of its functions could be performed by the Office of Oil and Gas and/or the Division of Personnel. Although the examination is being given annually, the board is not active, and in the past five years only one inspector has been hired from the roster. The Division of Personnel could easily absorb the testing and hearing functions of the Board. A representative of the Division of Personnel stated in a 1993 letter to the chairman of the House Government Organization Committee that "based on our review we have concluded that if we took on the responsibilities of the Oil and Gas Inspectors' Examining Board there would be very little additional fiscal or performance effect on this Division since we already have systems and processes in place for this type of work." Moreover, the Division of Environmental Protection pays DOP fees for personnel services for the inspectors. The personnel fees paid annually to the Division of Personnel is $2,325. Moreover, the Legislative Auditor found that the Division of Environmental Protection pays DOP fees for personnel services for the inspectors. The personnel fees paid annually to the Division of Personnel is $2,325.

While sunsetting the Oil and Gas Inspectors' Examining Board will only result in a minimal cost savings, which would be the per diem expenses paid to members, the Legislative Auditor feels that the current arrangement is inefficient. All duties of the board could be transferred to the Division of Personnel for a minimal fiscal and performance cost as stated by the director of that division. Thus, the Legislative Auditor feels that the Oil and Gas Inspectors' Examining Board should be terminated under West Virginia Code §4-10-5 as amended.