Board of Public Works

The Board of Public Works includes the Governor, the Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Commissioner of Agriculture, Attorney General, and State Schools Superintendent, and is established by law as a public corporation.

The Legislature chose to assign certain responsibilities to a group of high officials answerable to the voters rather than to a single official or executive agency. Among those important duties are:

• Approval of the purchase, transfer or sale of state real property;
• Assessment of public utility property;
• Approval of bonds prior to issuance by a state department or institution, county, board of education or municipality; and,
• Establishment of the levies on property at the rates set by law.

The Board of Public Works meets at specific times of the year to establish public utility assessed valuations, hear appeals and set levies. In addition to that, the Governor calls meetings as necessary to approve the transfer of deeds and other work for which the Board is responsible. Meeting notices are published in the State Register.

Public Utility Assessed Valuations

One of the major roles of the Board related to determining the valuation of public utility property for the purpose of tax assessments. Although most real and personal property is assessed at the county level, public utilities are unique in that their property extends through many counties. Rather than have each of the fifty-five county assessors attempt to determine the value of the telephone lines and railroad tracks in their respective counties, the property is appraised and assessed by the state.

The owner or operator of every public utility is required to file a report with the Tax Commissioner no later than May 1st itemizing the utility's property for the previous calendar year in the detail set out by law.

The Tax Commissioner reviews the reports, obtains any additional information needed, sets out the tentative assessment for each utility and mails the owner or operator of the utility a copy. The Commissioner must deliver the tentative assessments to the Board of Public Works by September 15, and the Board then officially orders the assessments at a meeting to be held no later than October 1.

The Board of Public Works gives notice to the utility companies of their right to contest the valuation before the Board, either in writing or at a hearing or both.

Written appeals or written requests for a hearing should be directed to:

Attn: Board of Public Works
Secretary of State
Bldg. 1, Suite 157-K
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, WV 25305-077

The Secretary of State serves as secretary to the Board, and the minutes are maintained in the Secretary of State's office. The minutes of each meeting will be posted once they are approved by the members of the Board.

You can use the dropdowns below to select minutes from previous meetings. This page will be updated regularly.