Monongalia County Commission regular meeting August 12, 2026

The Monongalia County Commission held its regular meeting on August 12, 2026, where several procurement and budget-related matters were addressed. The commission approved requisition number 117 for the University Town Center Economic Opportunity Development District subaccount, totaling approximately $1.38 million for debt service. They also approved an agreement with Bilian Associates for Architecture and Engineering Services related to the Monongalia County Health Department, pursuant to RFQ2026MCC-1, to support the reconfiguration of the White Birch Tire building for the health department. Additionally, the commission discussed the Western Mine Gateway project Phase 1 Star City Interchange Improvement Project, approving a letter to ensure payment continuity for design deliverables. Several agenda items were deferred due to incomplete documentation. Public comments focused extensively on concerns about the county's use of opioid settlement funds to procure and deploy Flock ALPR (Automatic License Plate Reader) surveillance cameras, with citizens raising issues about privacy, data sharing, and potential misuse of surveillance technology. The commission reiterated that only a small percentage of opioid funds have been used for policing and emphasized adherence to policies governing camera use. No votes were taken to reverse or amend the surveillance contracts during this meeting. The meeting also included routine approvals of vouchers and personnel changes.