By Dakota Baker
Ronceverte City Council held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, July 1, and opened a public hearing regarding the Home Rule application that Council has discussed in previous meetings. This was the one public hearing required by the Home Rule board. During the hearing the public was informed of the five areas that the Home Rule application covers. The biggest and most important aspect of the Home Rule program is that it would allow the City of Ronceverte to pass a sales use tax; this would be an additional 1 percent tax that would be added to the sales of good and some services.
It is important to understand that if Ronceverte is approved for Home Rule, this sale tax would not go into effect until July 1, 2025. The hopes with this sales tax are to give the City extra revenue to make improvements around the city, including fixing the street lighting and sidewalks.
Furthermore, Home Rule would allow the City of Ronceverte to speed up the process of forfeiture of structures which would allow Ronceverte to handle the issue of dilapidated properties in a timelier manner.
Citizens were invited to make comments related to the Home Rule application during the hearing, with one speaker commending the city workers, volunteers, and the city council for their hard work and how Ronceverte is in a better position today than it was 2-3 years ago. There were also some concerns from citizens regarding the Home Rule application, mainly regarding the increased freedom it would give City Council when it comes to decision for the city.
According to wvml.org, “Home rule allows municipalities – including the smallest towns with populations under 2,000 – greater self-determination within the limits of state law.”
Council clarified that nothing will be changed outside of the five issues being addressed within the Home Rule application, with councilmembers noting that Home Rule does not allow them to just do whatever they want; they still have rules they have to abide by. Reporting by WVNews’ Conner Griffith in 2018 cited that roughly one fifth of West Virginia’s population lives under a Home Rule city, with 28 of those cities passing a 1 percent sales tax.
The City of Lewisburg completed a Home Rule application in recent years, with a 1 percent tax being implemented starting July 1 of 2023.
Councilmembers did vote to move forward with the application process for the Home Rule program. Citizens are encouraged to call City Hall and speak with Pamela Mentz if they have any questions at 304-647-5455.
Also during the Council meeting, there was a revision to ordinance 2024-04, which allows law enforcement to administer citations to those camping in public areas; where camping has been prohibited unless otherwise posted. This revision was passed after being voted on by council members.
The next regular City Council meeting will be held on Monday, August 5, at City Hall. Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month.