CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Commission approved the budgets for the main county departments, as well as spendings for outside agencies that receiving assistance from the county.
As most spending remains stagnate from the current budget, two major changes to agency spending are an additional $50,000 for the Kanawha Valley Senior Services and $20,000 for the Charleston Area Alliance.
When the budget is approved, county officials estimate it will be worth at least $56.5 million, $500,000 more than the current budget. Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said the increased spending is expected.
“We’ve held the line on just about everything,” he said. “We’ve added some more to health care just so it works. We know the health care bill is going to go up. It’s $7 million right now, and I know it is going to go up.”
According to a handout from the commission, employees will receive a $500 raise related to increasing monthly health care premiums, with average increases ranging from $10.59 to $29.63.
Carper added the commission did not raise spending for two years, which is something not many local governments can claim.
Carpers said increased spending for senior services came after they learned of a waiting list for meals.
“There was about 50 people on the waiting list for their food program. They said they didn’t have the money,” he said.
He also said people died on the waiting list, but noted no one died of starvation.
“There was just a long line and they just couldn’t do it,” he said. “The line wasn’t doing anything but getting longer.”
Carper said the Charleston Area Alliance increase is related to an increase of business in the county, including announcements made last year by US Methanol and technology firm N3 about new operations in the county
“We see results, and you’ve got to invest in economic development,” he said.
The commission will take up the budget in full at its March 8 meeting.