Officials for the Workforce Investment Board of Kanawha County will have to revamp their public bid process to make bidding more fair, the Kanawha County Commission voted Thursday.

The board's bidding process came under fire earlier this month, after officials for Prestera Center for Mental Health Services Inc. and HOPE Community Development Corp. complained that the process locked bidders out of competing with the companies that already provide services for the Workforce Investment Board. Prestera Center and HOPE submitted bids to provide youth services for the board, but were disqualified.

The Rev. Matthew Watts, of HOPE, said it wasn't fair that the Workforce Investment Board gives extra weight to existing service providers during the bid process. The board gives so much weight, he said, that it is virtually impossible for competitors to score enough points to win the bid.

The Workforce Investment Board helps fund job training and other programs in the Kanawha Valley, but the Kanawha County Commission has final authority over the agency. County commissioners asked to review the agency's bid process after Watts questioned the way bids were handled.

After review, County Commission President Kent Carper said the bid process appeared to be stacked against competitors hoping to unseat existing service providers. If he had his way, he said, he would ask that the youth services contract be rebid.

But county attorney Marc Slotnick recommended against rebidding the youth services contract because Prestera and HOPE apparently failed to meet all of the required criteria. But Slotnick said no other workforce board in the state gives extra weight to existing service providers and recommended the Workforce Investment Board of Kanawha County change its bid procedures in the future.

Carper and Commissioners Dave Hardy and Hoppy Shores voted unanimously to have the board change its bid requirements. Workforce Investment Board director Curtis Hardman agreed.

Also Thursday, commissioners approved more than $173,000 in funding to allow elected county officials to give raises to their lowest-paid employees. County officials hope to bring the lowest salaries on the pay scale to more than $21,000 a year.

Hardy voted against the funding - not because he doesn't think employees on the bottom rung deserve a raise, but because he wasn't sure that's where the money is going to go.

While state law says elected officials can spend their budgets any way they want, Hardy wanted some kind of assurance that the money would actually go to the lowest-paid employees.

"I don't want to be viewed as a commissioner that plays favorites with the pay scale," he said.

"I think we'll use it as intended," said County Clerk Vera McCormick. "You're going to have to trust us."

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com">rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 348-1215.

Officials for the Workforce Investment Board of Kanawha County will have to revamp their public bid process to make bidding more fair, the Kanawha County Commission voted Thursday.

The board's bidding process came under fire earlier this month, after officials for Prestera Center for Mental Health Services Inc. and HOPE Community Development Corp. complained that the process locked bidders out of competing with the companies that already provide services for the Workforce Investment Board. Prestera Center and HOPE submitted bids to provide youth services for the board, but were disqualified.

The Rev. Matthew Watts, of HOPE, said it wasn't fair that the Workforce Investment Board gives extra weight to existing service providers during the bid process. The board gives so much weight, he said, that it is virtually impossible for competitors to score enough points to win the bid.

The Workforce Investment Board helps fund job training and other programs in the Kanawha Valley, but the Kanawha County Commission has final authority over the agency. County commissioners asked to review the agency's bid process after Watts questioned the way bids were handled.

After review, County Commission President Kent Carper said the bid process appeared to be stacked against competitors hoping to unseat existing service providers. If he had his way, he said, he would ask that the youth services contract be rebid.

But county attorney Marc Slotnick recommended against rebidding the youth services contract because Prestera and HOPE apparently failed to meet all of the required criteria. But Slotnick said no other workforce board in the state gives extra weight to existing service providers and recommended the Workforce Investment Board of Kanawha County change its bid procedures in the future.

Carper and Commissioners Dave Hardy and Hoppy Shores voted unanimously to have the board change its bid requirements. Workforce Investment Board director Curtis Hardman agreed.

Also Thursday, commissioners approved more than $173,000 in funding to allow elected county officials to give raises to their lowest-paid employees. County officials hope to bring the lowest salaries on the pay scale to more than $21,000 a year.

Hardy voted against the funding - not because he doesn't think employees on the bottom rung deserve a raise, but because he wasn't sure that's where the money is going to go.

While state law says elected officials can spend their budgets any way they want, Hardy wanted some kind of assurance that the money would actually go to the lowest-paid employees.

"I don't want to be viewed as a commissioner that plays favorites with the pay scale," he said.

"I think we'll use it as intended," said County Clerk Vera McCormick. "You're going to have to trust us."

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com">rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 348-1215.