Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=SB317%20SUB2.htm&yr=2019&sesstype=RS&i=317
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 12:37:11+00:00

Document:
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §20‑17‑1, §20‑17‑2, §20‑17‑3, §20‑17‑4, §20‑17‑5, §20‑17‑6, §20‑17‑7, §20‑17‑8, §20‑17‑9, and §20‑17‑10, all relating generally to authorizing three or more contiguous counties to form a multicounty trail network authority; providing legislative findings; defining terms; providing that an authority is a public corporation and joint development entity; providing that a county that is adjacent to an authority may join the authority as a participating county upon approval of the board of the authority and the county commission of the county wishing to participate; providing that two existing authorities may merge upon approval of the boards of both authorities; providing for appointment of individuals to the board of an authority and for the filling of vacancies in the board; establishing the terms of appointment to a board; requiring quarterly meetings of a board; describing how a quorum is established; authorizing a board to promulgate bylaws and rules; providing that an authority is subject to Freedom of Information Act laws; describing the powers and duties of an authority; requiring a board to appoint an executive director; describing powers and duties of an executive director; authorizing employment of authority staff; requiring creation of an annual budget; providing for payment of an authority’s expenses; allowing reimbursement of board member expenses; establishing financial audit requirements; requiring reporting and oversight of state funds; prohibiting certain actions by users of recreational area land and providing criminal penalties; limiting the liability of owners of land used by an authority; setting forth purchasing and bidding procedures for authority contracts and purchases; providing criminal penalties for violation of purchasing and bidding requirements; clarifying that certain provisions of the code prohibiting certain officers from having a pecuniary interest in contracts applies to board members, officers, personnel, and agents of an authority; providing civil remedies for participating counties challenging purchasing contracts violating certain requirements; and providing for severability.
Article 17. Multicounty trail Network Authorities.
The West Virginia Legislature finds that outdoor recreation is an increasingly vital part of the state’s economy and that outdoor recreation participants spend billions of dollars annually in the state and support a significant number of local jobs.
The Legislature further finds that well‑managed areas for trail‑oriented recreation in the state will increase outdoor recreational tourism, increasing revenue to the state and creating more jobs for West Virginia citizens.
The Legislature further finds that, with the cooperation of private landowners, there is an opportunity to provide citizens and recreational tourists with greater access to trail‑oriented recreation by incorporating private property into recreational trail systems and areas throughout West Virginia to provide significant economic and recreational benefits to communities in the state.
The Legislature further finds that, under an appropriate contractual and management scheme, well‑managed trail systems may exist on private property without diminishing the landowner’s interest, control, or profitability in the land and without increasing the landowner’s exposure to liability.
The Legislature further finds that creating and empowering multicounty trail network authorities, that can work with the landowners, county officials, community leaders, state and federal government agencies, recreational user groups, and other interested parties to expand trail systems will greatly assist in improving and linking recreational trail systems.
The Legislature further finds that it is in the best interests of the state to encourage private landowners to make land available for public use, through multicounty trail network authorities, for recreational purposes by limiting landowner liability for injury to persons entering thereon, by limiting landowner liability for injury to the property of persons entering thereon, and by limiting landowner liability to persons who may be injured or otherwise damaged by the acts or omissions of persons entering thereon.
(C) Maintaining or making improvements on land, including, but not limited to, artificial improvements for the purpose of making the land accessible or usable for a recreational activity described in paragraph (A) of this subdivision.
§20‑17‑3. Multicounty trail network authorities authorized; addition of counties; merger of existing authorities.
(a) For the purposes of this article, three or more contiguous counties may, upon approval of the county commission of each county desiring to participate, form a multicounty trail network authority. An authority established pursuant to this section is a public corporation and a joint development entity existing for the purpose of facilitating the development and operation of a system of recreational trails and areas throughout the participating counties. Such trails will be designated and made available for recreational purposes with significant portions of the trails system being located on private property throughout West Virginia, made available for use through lease, license, easement, or other appropriate legal form by a willing landowner.
(b) An adjacent county may join a multicounty trail network authority as a participating county upon approval of both the board of the authority and the county commission of the adjacent county wishing to become a participating county.
(c) Two or more existing authorities may merge and become a single authority encompassing the participating counties in each merging authority upon approval of the board of each authority. Upon merger of two or more authorities, the board of the newly created authority will be composed of all board members serving on the board of each merging authority at the time the merger takes place. Thereafter, the authority will fill any vacancies and appoint board members as required by §20‑17‑4 of this code. The board of the newly created authority shall adopt appropriate procedures and bylaws to ensure that the newly created authority complies with all requirements of this article.
§20‑17‑4. Board; quorum; executive director; expenses; application of state Freedom of Information Act.
(1) Each participating county shall appoint one member who represents and is associated with a corporation or individual landowner whose land is being used or is expected to be used in the future as part of the authority’s recreational area. This member shall be appointed to a four‑year term.
(2) Each participating county shall appoint one member who is an experienced instructor, guide, or participant in recreational activities in the county or an individual who represents and is associated with travel, tourism, economic development, land surveying, or relevant engineering efforts within the county. The initial appointment for this member shall be for a two‑year term, but all subsequent appointments shall be for a four‑year term.
(3) Any appointed member whose term has expired shall serve until his or her successor has been duly appointed and qualified. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired term. Any appointed member is eligible for reappointment. Members of the board are not entitled to compensation for services performed as members but are entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties.
(b) Upon joining an existing authority as a participating county pursuant to §20‑17‑3 of this code, the newly participating county shall appoint board members only for the length of the unexpired terms of the authority’s board members serving at the time the county joins the authority. Thereafter, the county shall appoint board members according to the regular appointment procedure provided in subsection (a) of this section.
(c) The board shall meet quarterly, unless a special meeting is called by its chairman. During the first meeting of each fiscal year beginning in an odd‑numbered year, or as soon as feasible thereafter, the board shall elect a chairman, secretary, and treasurer from among its own members to serve for two‑year terms.
(d) A majority of the members of the board constitutes a quorum and a quorum shall be present for the board to conduct business.
(e) The board may prescribe, amend, and repeal bylaws and rules governing the use of the trail system, safety standards for participants, and the manner in which the business of the authority is conducted.
(f) The board shall review and approve an annual budget. The fiscal year for an authority begins on July 1 and ends on the 30th day of the following June.
(g) The board shall appoint an executive director to act as its chief executive officer, to serve at the will and pleasure of the board. The board, acting through its executive director, may employ any other personnel considered necessary and retain such temporary legal, engineering, financial, and other consultants or technicians as may be required for any special study or survey consistent with the provisions of this article. The executive director shall carry out plans to implement the provisions of this article and to exercise those powers enumerated in the bylaws. The executive director shall prepare an annual budget to be submitted to the board for its review and approval prior to the commencement of each fiscal year. The budget shall contain a detailed account of all planned and proposed revenue and expenditures for the authority for the upcoming fiscal year, including a detailed list of employees by title, salary, cost of projected benefits, and total compensation. Before August 15 of each year, the executive director shall provide to the board and the county commission for each participating county a detailed list of actual expenditures and revenue, by account and recipient name, for the previous fiscal year and a copy of the approved budget for the current fiscal year.
(h) All costs incidental to the administration of the authority, including office expenses, personal services expenses, and current expenses, shall be paid in accordance with guidelines issued by the board from funds accruing to the authority.
(i) All expenses incurred by an authority in carrying out the provisions of this article shall be payable solely from funds that have accrued to the authority pursuant to this article. An authority may not incur liability or an obligation above the amount of funds that have accrued to the authority pursuant to this article.
(j) A multicounty trail network authority and the board is a “public body” for purposes of the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act, as provided in §29B‑1‑1 et seq. of this code.
§20‑17‑5. Financial review and oversight.
(a) An authority shall contract for and obtain an annual financial audit to be conducted by a private accounting firm in compliance with generally accepted government auditing standards. When complete, the audit shall be transmitted to the board, the president of the county commission of each participating county, and the Legislative Auditor. The cost of the audit shall be paid by the authority.
(b) If an authority receives any funds from the Legislature by appropriation or grant, the Legislative Auditor shall have the power and authority to examine the revenues, expenditures, and performance of the authority, and, for these purposes, shall have the power to inspect the properties, equipment, and facilities of the authority and to request, inspect, and obtain copies of any records of the authority. For each fiscal year in which the authority receives any funds from the Legislature by appropriation or grant, the executive director shall provide to the Legislative Auditor and Secretary of Revenue a detailed list of actual expenditures and revenue by account and recipient name for the previous fiscal year within 45 days of the close of that fiscal year.
§20‑17‑6. Powers of an authority.
(31) To exercise such other and additional powers as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this article.
§20‑17‑7. Requirements for trail users and prohibited acts; criminal penalties.
(a) A person may not enter or remain upon a recreational area without a valid, nontransferable user permit issued by the appropriate authority and properly displayed, except properly identified landowners or leaseholders or their officers, employees, or agents while on the land that the person owns or leases for purposes related to the ownership or lease of the land.
(b) An authority may require recreational users to wear protective helmets or use safety equipment that the authority determines to be appropriate for the recreational activity in which the user is engaged.
(c) Each trail user operating a bicycle or mountain bicycle shall obey all traffic laws, traffic‑control devices, and signs within the recreational area, including those which restrict trails to certain types of bicycles or mountain bicycles.
(d) Each trail user shall at all times remain within and on a designated and marked trail while within the recreational area.
(e) A person may not ignite or maintain any fire within the recreational area except in a designated camp site.
(f) A person may not operate a motor vehicle within the recreational area unless the person is authorized to operate a motor vehicle in the area to perform maintenance services or emergency response.
(g) A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than $100. Prosecution or conviction for the misdemeanor described in this subsection shall not prevent or disqualify any other civil or criminal remedies for the conduct prohibited by this section.
(a) An owner of land used by an authority owes no duty of care to keep his or her land safe for entry or use by others for recreational purposes, or to give any warning of a dangerous or hazardous condition, use, structure, activity, or wild animal on such land to persons entering or going upon the land for such purposes. The provisions of this section apply regardless of whether the person entering or going upon the leased land is permitted to enter the land or is a trespasser.
(b) Unless otherwise agreed in writing, an owner of land who grants a lease, easement, or license of land to an authority for recreational purposes does not, by giving a lease, easement or license: (1) Extend any assurance to any person using the land that the land is safe for any purpose; (2) confer upon those persons the legal status of a party to whom a duty of care is owed; or (3) assume responsibility for or incur liability for any injury to person or property or death caused by an act or omission of a person who enters upon the leased land. The provisions of this section apply whether the person entering or going upon the leased land is permitted to enter the land or is a trespasser.
(c) Nothing in this section limits in any way any liability which otherwise exists for deliberate, willful, or malicious infliction of injury to persons or property: Provided, That nothing herein limits in any way the obligation of a person entering upon or using the land of another for recreational purposes to exercise due care in his or her use of the land and in his or her activities thereon, so as to prevent the creation of hazards or the commission of waste by himself or herself.
§20‑17‑9. Purchasing and bidding procedures; criminal penalties.
(1) Whenever an authority proposes to purchase or contract for commodities or services reasonably anticipated to equal or exceed $25,000 in cost, the purchase or contract shall be based on competitive bidding. Where the purchase of particular commodities or services is reasonably anticipated to be less than $25,000, the executive director may, on behalf of the authority, solicit bids or price quotes in any manner that the executive director deems appropriate and the authority shall obtain its commodities or services by the lowest bid. In lieu of seeking bids or quotes for commodities or services in this price range, the authority may purchase those commodities and services pursuant to state master contracts as provided in §5A‑3‑10e of this code.
(2) Where the cost for the purchase of commodities or services is reasonably anticipated to exceed $25,000, the executive director shall solicit sealed bids for such commodities or services: Provided, That the executive director may permit bids by electronic transmission to be accepted in lieu of sealed bids. Bids shall be solicited by public notice. The notice shall be published as a Class II legal advertisement in all participating counties in compliance with the provisions of §59‑3‑1 et seq. of this code and by such other means as the executive director deems appropriate. The notice shall state the general character of the work and general character of the materials to be furnished, the place where plans and specifications therefor may be examined, and the time and place for receiving bids. After all bids are received, the authority shall enter into a written contract with the lowest responsible bidder; however, the authority may reject any or all bids that fail to meet the specifications required by the authority or that exceed the authority’s budget estimation for those commodities or services. If the executive director determines in writing that there is only one responsive and responsible bidder and that there has been sufficient public notice to attract competitive bids, he or she may negotiate the price for a noncompetitive award or the specifications for a noncompetitive award based solely on the original purpose of the solicitation.
(3) For any contract that exceeds $25,000 in total cost, the authority shall require the vendors to post a bond, with form and surety to be approved by the authority, in an amount equal to at least 50 percent of the contract price conditioned upon faithful performance and completion of the contract.
(4) The bidding requirements specified in this section do not apply to any leases for real property upon which the authority makes improvements for public access to the recreational area, information distribution, and welcome centers. This exemption does not apply to leases for offices, vehicle and heavy equipment storage, or administrative facilities.
(5) Any person who violates a provision of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be confined in jail not less than 10 days nor more than one year, or fined not less than $10 nor more than $1,000, or both fined and confined.
An authority or any of its board members, officers, employees, or agents may not enter into any contracts, agreements, or arrangements for purchases of services or commodities violating the requirements of §6B‑2‑5 or §61‑10‑15 of this code.
The county commission of a participating county in an authority may challenge the validity of any contract or purchase entered, solicited, or proposed by the authority in violation of this section by seeking declaratory or injunctive relief in the circuit court of the county of the challenging party. If the court finds by a preponderance of evidence that the provisions of those sections have been violated, the court may declare the contract or purchase to be void and may grant any injunctive relief necessary to correct the violations and protect the funds of the authority as a joint development entity.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize three or more contiguous counties to form a multicounty trail network authority.

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