Is he preparing?
Anyone who knows Zach Abraham is aware of the answer, and in two short weeks Abraham will join the Ohio County Commission after defeating 24-year incumbent Tim McCormick on Nov. 3. Abraham, the former president of the Ohio County Board of Education, will join Randy Wharton and Don Nickerson at the beginning of 2021.
“I have been attending many of the Ohio County Commission meetings before and after the election to learn more about the agenda topics and items being discussed. I have also been in contact with the other two remaining commissioners for some pre-office information and logistics about my role and to prepare for an upcoming swearing into the office before years end,” he explained. “I have also been researching other best practices for County Commissions in our state and throughout the country by reviewing many items through the National Association of Counties to learn about the challenges and potential opportunities.
“A few weeks ago, I had an all-day virtual training through the West Virginia Association of Counties (WVACo),” he said. “We had training from all the elected county officials associations about county government, West Virginia ethics training, review of personnel matters, county budgeting processes and property tax actions and schedule, and the 2021 state legislative priorities for all the elected county officials associations.”
Abraham also has had conversations pertaining to the coronavirus pandemic and how Ohio County officials have managed testing centers, reporting statistical information to the public, and now the distribution of the first FDA authorized vaccine to counter COVID-19.
“I have been receiving COVID-19 updates from Lou Vargo related to Ohio County Emergency Management Agency to get a broader perspective about key statistics and how Ohio County is dealing with the pandemic as it relates to the safety of our county,” he explained. “In addition, I have also visited the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport and the new Highlands sports complex, along with meeting team members from both the sports complex and the Ohio County Development Authority (OCDA).
“Additionally, I have also received updates and discussed a few county items with a few volunteer fire department leaders and utility/service partners (such as AEP and the WV state road department) over the past few weeks as well,” he continued. “Future preparation will include, but not be limited to the following: Taking a tour of the City-County building(s), meeting the OCC team members, and the other elected Ohio County and city officials and their teams. In the future, I hope to have contact with other elected officials and representatives at the state and federal levels to discuss and learn more about opportunities to help Ohio County, the Northern Panhandle, and our entire State. I also plan on completing additional training through our state specific association, the County Commissioners Association of WV (CCAWV).”
Seems like a lot of work, right?
“There is still a lot more to learn,” Abraham said. “But I have taken several steps to get myself prepared, organized, and knowledgeable about many aspects of county government and specifically the items facing and impacting Ohio County.”
Access to Information
While his preparation has been exhaustive thus far, Abraham is well aware that the Ohio County Commission is much different from the common county commission in the Mountain State. Responsibilities range from infrastructure to tax collection, but in Ohio County, there are The Highlands and the Ohio County Development Authority to consider.
“Most of what has surprised me has centered around the processes and details involved with property taxes, the classes, and determinations and applications,” he said. “In addition, learning more about the specific responsibilities of both the County Clerk and the County Assessor and the interaction between all the elected county officials and their offices.
“After I take office, I will learn other things that I did not know or know well once I have access to more specific information,” Abraham said. “And I will speak with others in the commission office and throughout the county.”
Goals and Priorities
The man likes a plan. A comprehensive, all-encompassing plan. One for the short-term, and one for the long-term, and that’s because he believes a plan is not only a map but also a measuring stick.
During his campaign, Abraham often referred to the need to develop such blueprints and to make them public so county residents can help keep the Commission accountable, and he also wishes to increase engagement with the communities within Ohio County.
“I will be one of three commissioners, so I hope we are able to review what our collective priorities should be with some future work/planning sessions to iron out those specifics,” he said. “I have many thoughts around setting short and long-term strategic initiatives and goals for the county, but this will be a team effort, and some will most likely need for us to include and collaborate with other individuals and groups (governmental and private) to achieve success.
“As I communicated throughout my campaign, my thoughts about the priorities for Oho County, outside of learning new information that would change my thinking after I take office, are many of the same priorities,” Abraham explained. “The priorities are rooted in the following VISION: Ohio County will be the Best Place to Live and Work in the Tri-state Area by 2035!”
In and Out
For more than five years, commissioners in Ohio County have been formulating a plan to work with the West Virginia Department of Transportation to construct a second interchange for The Highlands. Traffic congestion has been in an issue for the mixed-use site since it has grown into an area with multiple big-box retailers, a plethora of eateries, and light industry.
With the completion of The Highlands Athletic Complex, the traffic flow is expected to increase, too, once the pandemic is over, and the facility can open without occupancy restrictions in place.
The partnership with the state DOT calls for the Commission to finance a share of the construction costs for the interchange, and a new Tax Incremental Financing district was approved by the W.Va. Legislature in 2013, and now with Menard’s open, tax dollars are accumulating for the project.
However, now that Ohio County voters have dispatched incumbent commissioners, will the second interchange remain on the Commission’s priority list? Abraham expects the initiative to remain in place.
“I do not have any information to the contrary, and after learning a little more about The Highlands and the OCDA, it appears that the second interchange is a priority at this point,” the commission-elected said. “One of the largest factors that could impact this project will be securing the proper funding.”
