The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

October 7, 2008

Raleigh to clarify video lottery ordinance

By Fred Pace

Saying some of the language in Raleigh County’s recently passed video lottery ordinance needed “cleaning up,” commissioners agreed to allow county attorney Bill Roop change some of the wording in the first few paragraphs of the measure.

“... the first couple paragraphs in the ordinance need to be business neutral,” Roop said. “Also, I agree that I would take a look at the place he is talking about and look over the ordinance to see how it compares.”

During the last county commission meeting, Michael Carr acknowledged he embarked on “a bad decision” in trying to set up a video lottery place in Prosperity, but says the commission should let him work out of an alternate location since he had applied before a special ordinance was adopted.

Moreover, Carr called on commissioners to change the language in the newly minted ordinance to omit the phrase “blighted transients,” suggesting it was offensive to his type of business and the clientele.

Roop said the ordinance was based on one used by Kanawha County.

“This doesn’t change the ordinance in any way,” Roop said. “However, I agree that some of the language could be cleaned up so that these establishments are not automatically viewed as bad places.”

Carr termed the “blighted transients” phrase upsetting, noting a dictionary defined the first word as a fungus and the latter as an out-of-work vagabond.

Commissioners adopted the ordinance Sept. 2, making it effective immediately, in response to a large outcry when Carr sought to open a video lottery outlet in Prosperity.

“I think we overlooked some of the language in the Kanawha County ordinance and wouldn’t have used that language, but this will not change the rules of the ordinance at all,” commission president Pat Reed said.

Raleigh County has 56 video lottery establishments, which are also required to obtain a liquor license from the state before opening a video lottery business even if they do not sell alcoholic beverages.

In other action, commissioners unanimously passed the observance of Halloween and trick-or-treating in unincorporated areas of the county for 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31, and unanimously approved the hiring of Peggy Baldwin as a new employee in the assessor’s office.

— E-mail: fpace@register-herald.com

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