The Kanawha County Commission unanimously decided Thursday not to file suit against the West Virginia University Board of Governors for moving the West Virginia University Institute of Technology from its 120-year-old Montgomery campus.
"I have come to the conclusion that it would be a mistake," said Kent Carper, the county commission president.
The decision comes after Carper met several times with representatives from WVU and promises that the university will try to offer support to the community.
"We expect some sensible, long-term agreement," Carper said. "They just don't walk off and leave the buildings to fall into disrepair."
WVU discussed a number of ideas with community leaders in private meetings, including sending a community development team and performing a study to determine the economic impact on the towns that relied on WVU Tech.
"I understand the lawsuit is probably a long shot at best," said Commissioner Dave Hardy, "but what are they able to agree to in writing?"
So far, the community has not received any written commitment from WVU on the issues of redevelopment.
Hardy proposed the idea that the buildings could be used for health care after the university has vacated them in 2017, while Carper said that they're looking into moving the West Virginia Department of Agriculture into the labs.
"Will the community get what they deserve?" Carper said. "Probably not."
Later, the commission decided to change their auditing firm to Suttle & Stalnaker, against the wishes of Kim Lutz, the Kanawha County director of accounting.
Lutz wanted the commission to continue using the firm Gibbons & Kawash, which had been the county's accounting firm for the past five years.
Hardy, who also is a CPA, wanted to change firms so that the county could get a fresh look at the books.
"I think it's a very good practice to rotate your accounting firms periodically," Hardy said.
Lutz was hoping to use Gibbons & Kawash because they helped the state transition to the new system and also because transitioning to a new auditing firm is more work on the staff.
Towards the end of the meeting, the commission discussed raising the co-pay on emergency room visits to $50 for county employees.
"If we don't start now, we're going to end up like the state," Carper said.
The commission is hoping that the higher co-pay, along with an education program, will encourage employees to go to clinics, rather than the emergency room, for minor health problems.
The commission also heard from representatives from Camp Virgil Tate about their proposal for a new swimming pool.
The camp is hoping to get a federal grant for funds to build the pool, a bath house and a pavilion, all of which they hope will attract new guests.
The county currently contributes $100,000 to Camp Virgil Tate and the grant application is due Dec. 1.
Reach Dan Desrochers at dan.desrochers@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4886, or follow @drdesrochers on Twitter.