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Manchin meets with Justice, local leaders to discuss COVID relief bill

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Following a face-to-face meeting with Gov. Jim Justice Friday morning at the Governor’s Mansion on moving forward following the COVID-19 relief bill being put into law, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) met with local mayors in the Kanawha Valley in downtown Charleston to discuss the federal funding.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. (Office of U.S. Senator Joe Manchin)

Manchin told reporters inside the Kanawha County Courthouse that it was a ‘nice conversation’ with Justice and believes their differences are behind them. The meeting lasted around 90 minutes and featured only the two leaders, as Manchin said both wanted to meet.

On Monday. Gov. Jim Justice expressed his displeasure on the restrictions for how states can use federal relief, accusing Manchin of inserting a provision.

“Let’s put the state first. We have an opportunity and the governor is involved. He is the leader of West Virginia. I am in the Washington area and we want to work together,” Manchin told MetroNews

“This is a golden opportunity for our state to move forward. We have to be working together so we wanted to have that conversation.”

Justice released a statement to MetroNews on Friday about the meeting. He also stated he met with U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.).

Gov. Jim Justice

“I always welcome the opportunity to sit down with our Congressional representatives. Senator Manchin and I had a great and positive meeting this morning. We discussed the stimulus bill and its impact on our state, and how we can work together to better West Virginia for all,” Justice said.

Manchin was the only West Virginia representative in Congress to vote yes on the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill signed into law by President Joe Biden on Thursday. West Virginia will receive at least $4 billion in direct funding including $1.25 billion in funding for the state government.

$677 million of the funding is headed to cities, towns and 55 counties, and to be administered by local governments in two allotments. Manchin said the U.S. Department of Treasury will set the final guidelines for how the spending can be used but he gave a broad term of ‘anything impacted by COVID’ on Friday to reporters.

VIEW: West Virginia City and Town allocation of funding per Manchin’s office

Manchin said his time as governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010 helped him understand the needs of a small community.

“I wanted to make sure that we were able to get resources and for them to make decisions on what they thought was the most important thing they were doing and needed to be done. Whether it’s the water, sewer or making sure they had the police or fire department to take care of them,” Manchin said.

“This is going to help them tremendously, no matter how small your town is.”

$570,000 is headed to the city of Marmet in Kanawha County with a population of just over 1,600. Marmet Mayor Jay Snodgrass said city brass will meet in the coming days to figure out a gameplan. He said revenue has fallen during the pandemic, resulting in the city being unable to make vital repairs in infrastructure.

“Marmet turns 100 years old on Tuesday so that means our infrastructure is that age. This is going to be a gamechanger to repairing the drains and storm sewers that have just fallen in disrepair,” Snodgrass told MetroNews.

Kay Summers, Mayor of the Kanawha County town of Clendenin attended the briefing with Manchin and said infrastructure will be how most of the money her money will be spent. Clendenin, with a population of just over 1,100, is receiving $460,000 in the relief package.

Summers asked Manchin on the specifics of spending the funding as Clendenin is still picking up the pieces from the June 2016 floods. Manchin said he might be able to get the town a waiver for spending on flood gates for the community center. Summers said they’ve had trouble with FEMA and federal funding.

“We have been since 2016 so devastated because of the flood. Our economic development has not been as strong. This will give us an opportunity to improve what we have and build on what we have. We are elated,” Summers said to MetroNews.

The City of Huntington is receiving the most money out of any municipality in West Virginia totaling $44.84 million, according to Manchin’s office. Charleston is getting $37.81 million while Beckley $8.36 million, Fairmont $7.65 million, Martinsburg $8.92 million, Morgantown $10.65 million, Parkersburg $22.45 million, Weirton $10.59 million, and Wheeling $29.51 million.

Funding to the county government includes $34.55 million going to Kanawha County, $17.83 million to Cabell County and $20.48 million to Monongalia County.

On Friday, Manchin also touted the $11 million going to West Virginia in supplemental vaccine finding and on increasing vaccine doses. Biden said on Thursday that all adult Americans will be eligible to get a vaccine no later than May 1. Manchin said this will help get the vaccine out to places with mobile sites.

$1,400 stimulus checks are headed to West Virginians who make less than $75,000 per year and the unemployment boost lasts through September 6, as part of the measure.





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