“If we have it fixed, we don’t need to break it again.”

That’s what West Virginia Business and Industry Council Chair Jan Vineyard had to say Monday morning at a town meeting to discuss the organization’s recommendations for policy changes needed to improve the state’s business climate.

But there’s always room for improvement, she added. In fact, that’s what brought several legislators, lobbyists and representatives from interests including coal, business and insurance to Beckley’s Mountaineer Conference Center, the seventh stop on this nine-city tour.

Prior to a roundtable discussion, Vineyard thanked members of WV BIC and lawmakers for their success in maintaining reforms such as privatizing workers’ compensation, business tax relief, unemployment compensation and tax reduction, and reforms in medical malpractice, insurance and other legal issues.

“We want to keep taking steps to move West Virginia forward,” Vineyard said.

As state legislators in attendance viewed the event as an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming session, others seized the opportunity to express their concerns before the session begins next month.

- - -

Representatives from the insurance industry, although content with past reforms such as medical malpractice, expressed concern about potential changes regarding insurance laws.

John Arbuckle, a representative of the West Virginia Insurance Federation, said a “no pay-no play” issue is of utmost concern to his industry. The issue concerns cancellation of auto policies, mainly, especially for those who attempt to purchase coverage using bad checks.

“There are people who are trying to get the law changed,” he said.

Energy appeared to be another hot button topic at Monday’s town meeting.

“This is the first time federal issues have been a major concern for us,” Vineyard said, referring to cap and trade and health care, “but there are things our delegation can do.”

West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney said that although his industry’s current priorities pertain to the federal level, he felt his attendance at Monday’s meeting could only help inform other business and local lawmakers about the issues at hand.

“We want to do everything we can to continue developing West Virginia,” Raney said. “West Virginia is a powerhouse for this country, and that’s certainly an important part of business development.

“ ... We have a lot of great people, the best coal mines,” Raney added. “You would think our country would want to use that (energy) instead of importing oil ...”

Other industries had specific state-level concerns.

“We’re concerned about the beverage tax,” Tony Naff, unit manager for Pepsi in Princeton, said.

Naff said his company felt that a beverage tax, an issue expected to surface during the upcoming session, could have a detrimental impact on his business.

- - -

These were just the sort of things lawmakers in attendance came to hear.

Delegate Bill Wooton, D-Raleigh, called Monday’s discussion “an ideal opportunity to get in the mood for the session.”

“It’s a good forum and a small group setting, so we can discuss important issues and get a good head start,” Wooton said. “Knowing the concerns of the business community helps us as legislators.”

Delegate Linda Sumner, R-Raleigh, said such meetings are not only a look to the future session, but a time to reflect.

“We get a chance to look back at the legislation we previously passed and see the effectiveness of it,” Sumner said. “At the same time, we listen to the goals set by business and industry because we want to know what we can do to attract more businesses to our state.”

“As a state senator, I want to hear what the business community has to say about where we are and where we need to go,” said Sen. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming. “We need to find out where our problems are and what we need to do to correct them.”

Delegate David Perry, D-Fayette, said lawmakers must listen throughout the year, not just when they’re at the Capitol.

“I’m here to make myself aware,” he said. “This type of forum creates an awareness you don’t always have time to attend to during the session.”

The next WV BIC town meeting is scheduled to take place in Logan.

— E-mail: bnaudrey@register-herald.com