Berkeley County commissioners set a public hearing for 11 a.m. July 17 to consider amending the North Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district to add the DuPont parcel and to consider related maps and materials, a request brought by Jennifer Smith of the Berkeley County Development Authority.

Smith said adding the DuPont acreage to the North TIF will allow the county to use TIF proceeds to support infrastructure such as water, sewer, roads and a planned public safety complex that could serve police, fire and EMS without immediately increasing rates for utility districts or seeking separate voter approval for each project. She said taxing entities will be notified and the amendment will be sent to the West Virginia Economic Development Office after the local public hearing.

On procurement matters, the commission approved the low, responsive bid for furniture for the DRC from Labors (Hagerstown) at $295,070.70 after county staff said the bidder met specifications. The commission also approved the lowest responsible bid for grant-funded mobile data computers from Concourse Technology at $24,852.88 after the lowest bid failed to meet specifications.

In a separate action related to the county water district, commissioners waived the bond requirement for a water district project after staff and the district requested relief and commissioners said the district's board takes fiduciary responsibilities seriously.

Why it matters: Expanding the TIF district could shift future incremental tax revenue from general county receipts into an infrastructure fund to facilitate industrial and public-safety infrastructure in the north end; the bid awards and bond waiver affect capital and grant-funded equipment purchases for county facilities.

What happens next: County staff will publish notices and hold the July 17 public hearing. If the commission approves the TIF amendment after the hearing, the amendment will be forwarded to the state economic development office for final review. Contracts for furniture and mobile data computers will proceed to purchase order/award and the water district project will proceed without the bond requirement.