COUNTY COMMISSION MEETINGS AND AGENDAS
* I WOULD PROPOSE RETURNING THE COMMISSION TO A SCHEDULED TIME SPECIFIC AGENDA SO WE DO NOT WASTE THE TIME OF CITIZENS WHEN THEY WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN THE WOOD COUNTY COMMISSION TO BEING THE MOST ACCESSIBLE COUNTY COMMISSION IN THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA
TOURISM.
TOURISM IS ONE OF THE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH OUR AREA AND OUR STATE. I SUPPORT ANY TOURISM EFFORTS THAT WILL BRING VISITORS TO OUR AREA. BY SUPPORTING OUR PARKS, RECREATION, SPORTING EVENTS, FAIRS, FESTIVAL, ETC….THIS NOT ONLY PROVIDES TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES, BUT ALSO A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR CITIZENS
DRUGS AND CRIME
IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE SURGE OF DRUGS IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS WORSENED. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY DRUG OVER DOSE DEATHS. THE COUNTY COMMISSION SHOULD GIVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO COMBAT ILLEGAL DRUG ACTIVITY AND ASSOCIATED CRIME. AS A FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, I FULLY SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS AND CRIME AND SUPPORT OUR SHERIFFS OFFICE, AND COMMUNITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
SEE SOMETHING….SAY SOMETHING
WE ALL KNOW WE ARE LIVING IN UNPREDICTABLE AND DANGEROUS TIMES.
POLICE OFFICERS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE UNDER ATTACK. THE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY CAN BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE BY BEING THE EYES AND EARS TO HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I SUPPORT OUR EMERGENCY SERVICE PROVIDERS. WE MUST BE VIGILANT IN PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITIZENS. WE MUST MAINTAIN OPEN COMMUNICATIONS WITH ALL AGENCIES, THE STATE OF WV, AND HOMELAND SECURITY.
I SUPPORT THE SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING CAMPAIGN.
PUBLIC SAFETY.
I SUPPORT OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITIES AND OFFERING ASSISTANCE TO THEM IN ANY EFFORT TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE.
I SUPPORT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND ANY EFFORT TO KEEP THEMSELVES SAFE.
I SUPPORT OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS, AND BELIEVE WE SHOULD IMPROVE OUR FUNDING STRUCTURE FOR THEM. THEY VOLUNTEER TO SAVE PROPERTY AND LIVES. THEY PROVIDE AN INVALUABLE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WE MUST SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS.
BUDGETING, TAXATION
WITH THE DECLINE IN THE COAL, OIL AND GAS INDUSTRIES, AND THE REVNUE DROPS IN STATE BUDGETS, WE MUST BE VERY CAUTIOUS WITH OUR BUDGETING APPROACH.
MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH THE WOOD COUNTY BUDGET WILL BE VALUABLE. WE MUST PROPERLY MANAGE OUR BUDGET TO PREVENT OUR OWN FINANCIAL CRISIS, AND WE MUST WORK WITH THE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE COURT HOUSE TO SET PRIORITIES FOR FUNDING NEEDS AND IMPLEMENT FAIR AND EQUITABLE BUDGETS TO PROVIDE GOOD SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE EMPLOYEES. AS A PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER I ALWAYS STATED “THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEEDS AND WANTS….WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS, AND ADDRESS THE WANTS AND DESIRES WHEN EXTRA FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE”
I WILL BE A WATCHDOG FOR YOUR TAX DOLLARS. I WILL MAKE SURE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE ADMINISTERED FAIRLY AND ASSESSED EQUITABLY.
I AM A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE AND UNDERSTAND TAX DOLLARS COME AS A TRUST TO BENEFIT ALL CITIZENS. I WILL SPEND YOUR TAX DOLLARS CAUTIOUSLY AND WISELY.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SECOND TO PUBLIC SAFETY, THERE IS NO GREATER NEED FOR OUR COUNTY.
WE MUST PROVIDE THE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE TO ANY NEW BUSINESS WANTING TO LOCATE IN WOOD COUNTY. WE MUST ALSO MONITOR AND SUPPORT OUR CURRENT LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WHICH ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR LOCAL TAX STRUCTURE. I SUPPORT WORKING WITH THE LOCAL AND STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES, AND OUR AREA COMMUNITIES IN ANY EFFORT TO IMPROVE OUR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. CREATING NEW JOBS AND PROTECTING THE JOBS WE HAVE WILL BE A PRIORITY
PARKS AND RECREATION
I AM PROUD THAT I WAS A PART OF THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT OF FORT BOREMAN HISTORIC PARK. IT HAS BEEN A SUCCESS FAR GREATER THAN I EXPECTED.
I SUPPORT CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS TO FORT BOREMAN PARK, VETERANS PARK, AND SUPPORT EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE MOUNTWOOD PARK TO OUR REGIONS NEWEST “ADVENTURE” DESTINATION WITH THEIR NEW ATV TRAIL SYSTEM
COOPERATION AND MUTUAL RESPECT
I PLEDGE COOPERATION WITH OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND THE CITY OFFICIALS OF NORTH HILLS, VIENNA, PARKERSBURG, AND WILLIAMSTOWN IN ANY WAY WE CAN TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITIES AND COUNTY.
I PLEDGE COOPERATION WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN ANY WAY WE CAN IMPROVE OUR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND CREATE NEW JOBS.
FAIR TREATMENT
I AM A BELIEVER THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED THE SAME. ANYONE COMING BEFORE THE COUNTY COMMISSION SHOULD BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND TREATED THE SAME, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU MIGHT LIVE IN THE COUNTY AND REGARDLESS AS TO WHAT YOUR STATURE MIGHT BE….ALL SHOULD BE TREATED THE SAME.
HONESTY..INTEGRITY AND GOOD GOVERNMENT
I AM A STRONG BELIEVER IN HONESTY AND INTEGRITY IN GOVERNMENT….FROM CITY HALL…TO THE COURT HOUSE…TO THE STATE HOUSE. DISHONESTY IN GOVERNMENT AT ANY LEVEL SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED.
I SUPPORT HAVING AN INDEPENDENT ETHICS ADVISER AVAILABLE TO COUNSEL EMPLOYEES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WHEN NEEDS ARISE
AS I DID WHEN I LAST SERVED AS COUNTY COMMISSIONER, I FULLY SUPPORT HAVING REGULAR TRAINING/SEMINARS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS ON OPEN MEETING AND ETHIC LAWS TO ENSURE WE ARE PROVIDING OPEN, HONEST AND ETHICAL OPERATION OF GOVERNMENT FOR OUR CITIZENS.
IF THE CITIZENS “HIRE” ME FOR THIS JOB
IF THE CITIZENS OF WOOD COUNTY GRANT ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO AGAIN SERVE AS YOUR WOOD COUNTY COMMISSIONER, I PLEDGE THAT I WILL DO THE JOB GRANTED. I WILL ATTEND THE COMMISSION MEETINGS, AND THE VARIOUS COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS THAT I MIGHT BE ASSIGNED. I WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT NEED ASSISTANCE.I WILL BE FAIR, HONEST AND DO MY BEST TO SERVE THE CITIZENS WELL. MY PHONE NUMBER HAS ALWAYS BEEN PUBLISHED DURING MY ENTIRE PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER.
Rick Modesitt 