By Rusty Marks
The Charleston Gazette
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. — Members of the Kanawha County Commission agreed Tuesday to pick up the tab for a massive increase in Workers’ Compensation premiums for the county’s volunteer firefighters.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Richard Thompson, D-Wayne, told county officials he would push for a 60-day stay on enacting the new premiums, set up an interim legislative committee and meet with Gov. Joe Manchin to look into how to pay for the increase.
Volunteer fire departments around the state found out about the premium increase in April. Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper, local fire officials and other county officials immediately began warning that the premiums could prove disastrous for volunteer fire departments, which must pay for insurance and Workers’ Compensation coverage.
In Kanawha County, the price tag for the premium increase comes to more than $23,300 for the county’s 27 volunteer fire departments.
“I don’t think [fire departments] are going to be able to sell enough items at bake sales to pay these premiums,” Thompson said.
Since volunteer fire departments are required by law to carry insurance coverage and Workers’ Compensation coverage, Thompson fears failure to meet the premium increase will force cash-strapped departments all over the state to shut down. He said 80 percent of emergency calls statewide are handled by volunteer fire departments.
Premium increases in Kanawha County range from about 6 percent to more than 103 percent for individual fire departments. At the Chesapeake Volunteer Fire Department, premiums are set to go from $2,900 a year to $5,900 a year.
Under Tuesday’s action, the departments will continue to pay their current premiums, with the county making up the difference between them and the increased premiums.
Also Tuesday, county commissioners agreed to provide at least some funding for the West Virginia University Extension Service.
Officials with the extension service asked for $77,715. But Carper and county commissioners Hoppy Shores and Dave Hardy didn’t think it was fair for the county to pay that much money when the Kanawha County Board of Education provides only $10,000 a year to the extension service.
Carper, Shores and Hardy agreed to give the extension service $25,000 now if extension service director David Miller and extension service board president Mark Bright ask the school board for more money and approach other government agencies for funding. Carper said county officials may be able to come up with more money later.
In the past, commissioners said they haven’t had a very good relationship with the extension service.
But Carper said Bright and Miller were much more cooperative and forthcoming than past officials.
Copyright 2010 Charleston Newspapers