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Preston County town gets OK to repay mayor

KINGWOOD, W.Va. — The state Ethics Commission granted Rowlesburg a contract exemption Oct. 6 to allow it to repay money Mayor Barbara Banister used to pay a town bill.

It’s the second time the commission has granted the town an exemption to repay the mayor. In 2007, she loaned the town $2,000.

A contract exemption is written permission from the Ethics Commission for a governmental agency — such as a town — to enter into a contract that otherwise would be prohibited by the West Virginia Ethics Act or state code.

According to the exemption issued by the Ethics Commission, Rowlesburg had been required to update its storm and sewer system to stop raw sewage from entering the Cheat River when it rained.

Rowlesburg hired Beitzel Corporation for $47,223.74 to do the work. The town made two payments of $500 each in 2015 to the company and was assessed late fees of $7,914.20, bringing the total to $54,637.94.

According to the order, Banister was told by Clear Mountain Bank it would take at least five months to obtain a loan for the town. Banister told council she and her husband paid the bill to avoid more interest.

The bank will act as the loan servicer, according to the report. The town will repay the Banisters $954.20 a month, which includes charges from the bank for servicing the loan. The Banisters will not receive interest.

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

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