2026-09-04 JCC Special Meeting

The Jefferson County Commission held a special meeting on September 4, 2026, to discuss new information and allegations concerning Sidewinder Enterprises LLC, West Virginians for National Security, the county Planning Commission, and state Senate Bill 648. The chair presented a timeline and records that, in his view, suggested the organizations were connected and that SB 648 could limit county authority over extraction of designated resources, potentially including water. These were presented as allegations and concerns, not established findings. A commissioner disputed the chair’s characterization. The discussion also addressed Planning Commission appointments, a pending Sidewinder lawsuit, and questions about transparency, executive sessions, possible conflicts of interest, and responses to Freedom of Information Act requests.

The chair proposed making an amendment to SB 648 explicitly excluding water the county’s top legislative priority and said he would seek information from the West Virginia Secretary of State. He also said staff would review the minutes of a Jefferson County Development Authority meeting concerning a grant application and report back. Public commenters urged protection of groundwater, transparent appointment processes, and timely FOIA responses; one commenter raised questions about the county’s consideration of water-utility grant opportunities. No procurement award, contract approval, or spending vote was identified, and the transcript does not record a vote on the chair’s proposed follow-up actions.