DISSOLUTION DISCUSSION — Hancock County commissioners Thursday held the first reading of an ordinance which would dissolve the county’s parks board. The ordinance, which must go through a second reading, received a 2-1 vote. -- Craig Howell

NEW CUMBERLAND — The Hancock County Commission began a process, Thursday, which could see the dissolution of the county’s Board of Parks and Recreation.

Although not everyone is on board with the proposal.

Commissioners voted 2-1 on the first reading of an ordinance “dissolving the Hancock County parks and recreation board of directors,” with Commissioner Tommy Ogden casting the lone dissenting vote.

“I’m not in favor of this,” Ogden said prior to the vote. “I think our parks and recreation board does a good job.”

Ogden noted this version of the board has existed for only a couple of years, with some members having been part of it for less than a year. He indicated he believes they should be given an opportunity to continue their service.

“I think the board could be a good liaison between the public and us,” he said.

Commission President Eron Chek explained the proposal, which still must go through a second reading before it can go into effect, is an effort to provide a better administrative flow for the county’s park system.

“Passing this ordinance will streamline access to hotel and motel taxes,” Chek said. “Last year, some of those funds weren’t used.”

Chek explained, as there are so many new members to the board, there has been some struggle for them to be up-to-date on all of the regulations involved in using the funds budgeted for recreation in the county.

Hancock County has a 6 percent hotel and motel tax, according to online information from the West Virginia Tax Division, the revenue from which, under state law, is divided evenly between the county’s parks system and the local tourism bureau. The tax is estimated to bring in $150,000 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The county budgeted $75,000 for parks this year.

If the dissolution of the board is finalized, those funds would be under the direct authority of the commission, removing the board from the administrative process.

A draft application for use of those funds also has been established, inviting the public to “create your own occasion to celebrate fresh air, sunshine and get to know nature at your parks.” With the application, local residents or organizations will be able to apply for use of recreation funds to put on their own events.

Ogden reported, though, there already are events in the works for the year, with others being discussed, and he feels the board members should have an opportunity to see them through.

Chek said she had reached out to the Park Board’s current chair to discuss the ordinance, and commissioners will meet with the remaining board members prior to holding the second reading.

Commissioner Paul Cowey wanted to make certain residents understand the parks will remain open.

“It does not mean we’re closing down the parks,” Cowey said.

The county park board oversees the operations of four parks — Clarke Field Playground in Newell, Cove Valley Park along Kings Creek Road north of Weirton, the Gas Valley Sports Complex and Playground in New Cumberland and Lawrenceville Park in Chester.

If finalized, the Park Board would be dissolved June 30, which is the end of the current fiscal year for the county.

Last fall, the commission discussed amending the Park Board’s bylaws in order to expand the board’s membership to 11 members in order to follow state law. Currently, the board is set to have between five and seven members.