At Water Project Announcement, Morrisey Discusses Earlier Announcements

Gov. Patrick Morrisey was in Fairmont Thursday to announce funding for water & sewage projects. But other topics drew more attention.

Morrisey announced the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council has awarded $3.4 million in funds for five water and sewer projects across Kanawha, Marion, and Richie counties. 

Another $1.56 million grant comes from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. 

This is the latest in a series of water and sewer infrastructure improvements the governor has announced in recent weeks, including a flood wall in Milton on Monday.

But Morrisey’s own comments – as well as questions from the media – focused on two announcements he made earlier this week. 

“What happens at these events is that you come and you’re talking about one thing and then they veer into other topics,” he said. “So I come to these events and I answer questions, but please write about what we came here for. Okay?”

First was the announcement Tuesday that the state will sell four long-term care facilities. Morrisey explained how he inherited the sale from Sen. Jim Justice’s gubernatorial administration, and work has been underway on the sale for at least a decade.

“This is a huge win, I have to tell you. I know there have been, historically, some people that have not been interested in that,” Morrisey said. “But I know that since entering office, even before, I’ve talked a lot about this, briefed many people about the importance of repurposing government, that government needs to do the things government’s really good at. And quite frankly, government’s not very good about managing or micromanaging healthcare needs of people.”

Many of the questions the governor fielded regarding the sale were about ensuring quality of care would be maintained and promises for future investment would be honored by the purchaser.

“That’s in writing. So we’re excited about that, and that is a lot of value,” Morrisey said. “Not only will there be three to five facilities built, the buyer has committed that that’ll be done by West Virginia labor, West Virginia resources. This is good, and when you can say virtually all the jobs are going to be saved, that’s a win for our state.”

The other announcement to receive attention was that three state agencies will sign a new agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Protestors against the ICE agreement were reported to be demonstrating outside the governor’s press conference. 

“The First Amendment is a wonderful thing, so people have the right to express their voice, and so we’re always comfortable with that,” Morrisey said. “I’m especially comfortable talking about the state’s relationship with ICE, because it’s a big win for West Virginia.”

Morrisey said the agreement was important because although West Virginia does not deal with a high volume of undocumented immigration, the opioid epidemic is directly related to the southern border.

“West Virginia functionally becomes a border state with respect to these fentanyl problems,” he said. “West Virginia may not see the same volume as other states on the undocumented aliens, but I can promise you, we were blitzed very badly with the amount of fentanyl that came into West Virginia.”