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Parkersburg receives $2.2M relief fund reimbursement

PARKERSBURG — The City of Parkersburg received a $2.2 million reimbursement from the state for police and fire wages and benefits.

Mayor Tom Joyce announced Wednesday evening that the West Virginia C.A.R.E.S. Act Coronavirus Relief Fund provided the city this week with $2,201,986.94 for uniformed police and fire personnel wages and benefits for the months of March and April.

The city applied for reimbursement of $133,000 in COVID-related expenses in May. They only received $1,592.96, for supplies like hand sanitizer and personal protective equipment, as the state awaited guidance on payroll reimbursements.

But state officials met with Joyce in early June and said the city would be eligible for salary reimbursement.

“I appreciate the work Gov. (Jim) Justice and his staff put into helping the City of Parkersburg with the application and approval process for this reimbursement,” Joyce said via email Wednesday. “I would like to particularly thank Ann Urling, Brian Abraham and Mike Hall in the governors office for their personal attention and detailed assistance. Additionally the West Virginia Municipal League was instrumental in coordinating the efforts necessary to help all cities in West Virginia with their applications and communications starting back in April.”

With collections for two of the city’s largest revenue sources — the business and occupation and municipal sales taxes — still underway, the full impact of the shutdown of many businesses on the municipal budget is still unknown.

In May, City Council authorized budget revisions that cut revenue projections by more than $1.8 million, offset by a nearly $750,000 decrease in expenditures and a $1.065 million transfer from the stabilization fund.

“While we still do not know the full extent the pandemic has had and is having on the local economy, these funds will certainly help us to maintain police and fire services for the coming months, as we await revenue and tax receipts for the quarter ending June 30,” Joyce said. “The City of Parkersburg will continue to make applications for reimbursement from the fund for activities and expenses deemed eligible.”

All police and fire response to calls had to be considered as potential COVID-related activities, city officials have said.

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