The following Agenda was forward by one of the local Public Service District Board’s who advised that they were not notified by the Town Government of the occurrence of this meeting.
Date: January 28, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Grantsville Town Hall
- Call to order
- Roll Call/Pledge of Allegiance
- Mayor’s Communication
- Unfinished Business
- Hiring of General Manager
- New Business
- Letter from Brian Arthur
- Old Business
- Address procedures for implement the Service Agreement going forward.
- Payment of Bills
- Adjournment
Below is the agreement (Provided by the Calhoun Chronicle) which was filed by the WV Public Service District affirming the Town of Grantsville as well as the Mt. Zion Public Service District and the Pleasant Hill District entered into a signed a agreement to operate as the Operation & Maintenance Board of a Consolidation effort of the three water entities. – RIDGEVIEW NEWS
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
At a session of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF WEST VIRGINIA in the City of Charleston on the 5th day of February 2025.
CASE NO. 24-0862-W-PWD-PC
GRANTSVILLE MUNICIPAL WATER DEPARTMENT, MT. ZION PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT and PLEASANT HILL PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT
Petition for consent and approval of an Operation and Maintenance Agreement by and among Grantsville Municipal Water Department, Mt. Zion Public Service District and Pleasant Hill Public Service District.
COMMISSION ORDER
The Commission consents to the amended Operation and Maintenance Agreement.
BACKGROUND
On November 4, 2024, Grantsville Municipal Water Department (Grantsville) filed a petition for consent and approval to enter into an operation and maintenance agreement (the Agreement) with Mt. Zion Public Service District (Mt. Zion PSD) and Pleasant Hill Public Service District (Pleasant Hill PSD) (collectively, the Parties), for the operation and maintenance of the separate water works systems of each party. The Petition stated that the Agreement had the full approval of the Calhoun County Commission.
On December 9, 2024, Commission Staff (Staff) filed an Initial and Final Joint Staff Memorandum, recommending that the Parties make two changes to the Agreement prior to the Commission’s consent:
- Removal of the language that Mt. Zion PSD and Pleasant Hill PSD would no longer purchase water from Grantsville.
- Clarification of expenses listed in Exhibit B to include only those related to the services that would be covered in the Agreement.
Staff recommended that with those changes, the Commission should give its consent pursuant to the authority of W. Va. Code §24-2-12.
On December 16, 2024, the Parties filed an Amended Agreement that incorporated the two changes recommended by Staff.
DISCUSSION
The Amended Agreement, according to its language, serves to allow each of the Parties to remain eligible for USDA funding, while also centralizing certain services and personnel and sharing costs. Grantsville will assume the operation and maintenance services of both Mt. Zion PSD and Pleasant Hill PSD, including billing and bookkeeping, with the three entities proportionately sharing expenses for fixed costs, including the hiring of a general manager who will be responsible for the overall management and coordination of the three waterworks systems.
Exhibit A of the Amended Agreement lists how each entity’s portion of the shared expenses will be determined, and Exhibit B lists the shared fixed expenses, with a provision that percentages are to be recalculated at the end of each fiscal year.
The Amended Agreement is for a one-year term, with the option of additional one-year renewals, and provides that an entity must provide a three-month termination notice in writing, and that such termination would be subject to Commission approval. The Amended Agreement does not have a provision for settling disputes that may arise during its performance. Any disputes arising from the Amended Agreement, that cannot be resolved informally, should be brought before the Commission for adjudication.
West Virginia Code §24-2-12 requires a public utility to receive Commission approval prior to contracting with another utility. Under W. Va. Code §24-2-12, the Commission may grant its consent to a proposed transaction upon proper showing that the terms and conditions thereof are reasonable, that neither party thereto is given an undue advantage over the other, and the transaction does not adversely affect the public in this State.
The Amended Agreement is reasonable and does not adversely affect the public. None of the Parties is given an undue advantage. Without specifically approving the terms and conditions of the Amended Agreement, the Commission will grant its consent, pursuant to W. Va. Code §24-2-12, for the Parties to enter into the Amended Agreement.
FINDINGS OF FACT
- Grantsville filed a petition for consent and approval to enter into an operation and maintenance agreement with Mt. Zion PSD and Pleasant Hill PSD, for the operation and maintenance of the separate water works systems of each party.
- Grantsville filed an Amended Agreement that incorporated two changes recommended by Staff.
- The Amended Agreement does not provide a dispute resolution for the Parties during the performance of the Amended Agreement.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW - The Amended Agreement is reasonable, does not adversely affect the public, and none of the Parties is given an undue advantage under the terms of the Amended Agreement.
- Any disputes arising from the Amended Agreement that are not resolved informally should be brought before the Commission for adjudication.
ORDER
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that without specifically approving its terms and conditions, the Commission will grant its consent, pursuant to W. Va. Code §24-2-12, for the Grantsville Municipal Water Department, Mt. Zion Public Service District and Pleasant Hill Public Service District to enter into the Amended Agreement that was filed on December 16, 2024.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the executed agreement be filed as a closed entry in this case within fifteen days of this Order.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that upon entry of this Order this case shall be removed from the Commission docket of open cases.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Executive Secretary of the Commission serve a copy of this Order by electronic service on all parties of record who have filed an e-service agreement, and by United States First Class Mail on all parties of record who have not filed an e-service agreement, and on Commission Staff by hand delivery.
A True Copy, Teste, Karen Buckley, Executive Secretary
