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WV mayor who loaned town $54K reveals probe

ROWLESBURG, W.Va. — Rowlesburg’s mayor says she is being investigated by the State Ethics Commission for loaning the town money, which has not been repaid.

The Ethics Commission says it is barred by statute from confirming or denying whether a complaint has been filed or an investigation is under way.

Barbara Banister said that it would have taken five months for a bank loan to be approved to pay a bill owed by the town, “and the company wanted their money now.”

And interest on the bill was mounting, she said at the Sept. 26 council meeting.

“And I am now in trouble with the ethics commission and everybody else around the whole world because I went and got the money and paid it off,” Banister said.

Banister said she would like the town to repay her at a rate it could afford.

“I have not had anybody write up a contract to have the town pay me back, but I would like to get paid back, cause that was over $54,000,” she said.

Banister said the loan was no secret.

“I told the council what I was going to do, and I did it,” she said. “So anybody who wants to holler at me, go holler. If you want to fire me and get me out of here, that’s fine too. I just did what I thought I had to do for the town.”

See more from The Dominion Post website, TheDPost.com. 

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