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WV Code § 6-9-4 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9. Supervision of Local Government Offices|§6-9-4. Separate Accounts for Each Public Service Industry; Contents

Separate accounts shall be kept for every public service industry, which shall show the true and entire cost of the ownership and operation thereof, the amount collected annually by general or special taxation for services rendered to the public and the amount and character of the service rendered therefor, and the amount collected annually from private users (if any) for service rendered to them, and the amount and character of the service rendered therefor.
WV Code § 6-9-5 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9. Supervision of Local Government Offices|§6-9-5. Reports to and by Chief Inspector

The chief inspector shall require from every local taxing agency financial reports covering a full period of each fiscal year, in accordance with the forms and methods prescribed by him which shall be uniform for all accounts of the same class. Such reports shall contain an accurate statement in summarized form of all collections made by or receipts received by the officers from all sources, (of) all accounts due the public but not collected, and of all expenditures for every purpose, and by what authority authorized, and also: (a) A statement of all costs of ownership and operation and of all income of each and every public service industry owned and operated by a municipality; (b) a statement of the entire public debt of every taxing body to which power has been delegated by the state to create a public debt, showing the purpose for which each item of the debt was created, the provisions made for the payment of the debt, together with such other information as may be required by the chief inspector. Such reports shall be certified as to their correctness by the chief inspector or by his assistant appointed by for the purpose. Their substance shall be published in a biennial volume of comparative statistics that shall be issued for each class of accounts at the expense of the state as a public document, and shall be submitted by the chief inspector to the Governor for transmittal to the Legislature.
WV Code § 6-9-6 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9. Supervision of Local Government Offices|§6-9-6. Accounts and Reports by Local Public Officers Remitting Funds Collected to Proper Officer

All local governing officers, departments, boards and commissions shall keep their financial accounts in records and forms approved or prescribed by the chief inspector of public offices and shall furnish promptly to the chief inspector of public offices such information and reports as may be requested. Refusal or neglect to comply with the requirements of this section shall subject the person offending to removal from office. In case an officer or employee of a local governing agency collects or receives funds for the account of a local governing agency of which he is not an officer or employee, he shall remit to the proper officer of the local governing agency for whose account the collection was made or payment was received, the full amount collected or received for the account of such local governing agency.
WV Code § 6-9-8a (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9. Supervision of Local Government Offices|§6-9-8a. Audit Cost Amnesty Program

(a) Notwithstanding any other code provision to the contrary, the chief inspector shall establish a one time audit cost amnesty program to be conducted during the 2014 fiscal year.(b) The amnesty program shall apply only to:(1) Audits conducted by the chief inspector; and(2) Audit costs that are for fiscal years prior to the two most recent audits completed or in progress as of July 1, 2013.(c) The chief inspector shall establish procedures and forms for processing applications to the program.(d) An entity is not eligible to participate in the amnesty program unless fees related to its two most recent audits completed or in progress as of July 1, 2013, have been paid in full prior to its request for amnesty.
WV Code § 6-9-9 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9. Supervision of Local Government Offices|§6-9-9. Deputies of Chief Inspector

Any duty or act required by this article to be performed by the chief inspector may be performed with like effect by any deputy or assistant appointed by the chief inspector.
WV Code § 6-9-9a (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9. Supervision of Local Government Offices|§6-9-9a. Public Inspection of Reports of Examinations

All reports of examinations and audits of public offices made in accordance with the provisions of §6-9-7 of this code, and the copies thereof, when filed in the office of the chief inspector of public offices or in the office of the State Tax Commissioner, shall be public documents and shall be available for public inspection: Provided, That if an examination or investigative report discloses misfeasance, nonfeasance, or malfeasance, the chief inspector may direct that a report remain confidential until such time that the proper legal authority, as described in §6-9-7(n) of this code, has completed its investigation or adjudication of the matter and authorizes public disclosure.
WV Code § 6-9-9b (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9. Supervision of Local Government Offices|§6-9-9b. Documentation of Chief Inspector

(a) The audit working papers created by the chief inspector division during examinations or investigations shall be considered confidential, and shall not be deemed public records for purposes of §29B-1-1 et seq. of this code. (b) For purposes of this section, “audit working papers” includes, but is not limited to, the books and records of the entity being audited, intra- and inter-agency communications, draft reports, summaries, schedules, notes, memoranda, and all other records relating to an examination or investigation by the chief inspector division.
WV Code § 6-9-10 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9. Supervision of Local Government Offices|§6-9-10. Statutory References to Audits or Examinations of State Offices by Tax Commissioner or Inspector or Supervisor of Public Offices

Whenever any statute refers to an audit or examination of a state department or agency by the Tax Commissioner or inspector and/or supervisor of public offices, if within the prescribed functions and duties of the Legislative Auditor in making post audit of such state department or agency, and in order to avoid duplication, the reference shall be deemed to be made to the Legislative Auditor to whom such functions and duties have been transferred.
WV Code § 6-9-12 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9. Supervision of Local Government Offices|§6-9-12. Business Intern Program

Beginning July 1, 2002, the chief inspector shall develop in conjunction with the graduate business programs at West Virginia University and Marshall university an intern program which utilizes students pursuing a graduate degree in business, economics or accounting to assist in the auditing function of the office of the chief inspector. This program shall provide that those students who satisfactorily complete the program shall receive up to two hours credit toward their degree.
WV Code § 6-9A-1 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9A. Open Governmental Proceedings|§6-9A-1. Declaration of Legislative Policy

The Legislature hereby finds and declares that public agencies in this state exist for the singular purpose of representing citizens of this state in governmental affairs, and it is, therefore, in the best interests of the people of this state for the proceedings of public agencies be conducted openly, with only a few clearly defined exceptions. The Legislature hereby further finds and declares that the citizens of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the governmental agencies that serve them. The people in delegating authority do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for them to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments of government created by them.Open government allows the public to educate itself about government decisionmaking through individuals' attendance and participation at government functions, distribution of government information by the press or interested citizens, and public debate on issues deliberated within the government.Public access to information promotes attendance at meetings, improves planning of meetings, and encourages more thorough preparation and complete discussion of issues by participating officials. The government also benefits from openness because better preparation and public input allow government agencies to gauge public preferences accurately and thereby tailor their actions and policies more closely to public needs. Public confidence and understanding ease potential resistance to government programs.Accordingly, the benefits of openness inure to both the public affected by governmental decisionmaking and the decision makers themselves. The Legislature finds, however, that openness, public access to information and a desire to improve the operation of government do not require nor permit every meeting to be a public meeting. The Legislature finds that it would be unrealistic, if not impossible, to carry on the business of government should every meeting, every contact and every discussion seeking advice and counsel in order to acquire the necessary information, data or intelligence needed by a governing body were required to be a public meeting. It is the intent of the Legislature to balance these interests in order to allow government to function and the public to participate in a meaningful manner in public agency decisionmaking.
WV Code § 6-9A-3 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9A. Open Governmental Proceedings|§6-9A-3. Proceedings to Be Open; Public Notice of Meetings

(a) Except as expressly and specifically otherwise provided by law, whether heretofore or hereinafter enacted, and except as provided in section four of this article, all meetings of any governing body shall be open to the public.(b) Any governing body may make and enforce reasonable rules for attendance and presentation at any meeting where there is not room enough for all members of the public who wish to attend.(c) This article does not prohibit the removal from a meeting of any member of the public who is disrupting the meeting to the extent that orderly conduct of the meeting is compromised: Provided, That persons who desire to address the governing body may not be required to register to address the body more than fifteen minutes prior to time the scheduled meeting is to commence.(d) Each governing body shall promulgate rules by which the date, time, place and agenda of all regularly scheduled meetings and the date, time, place and purpose of all special meetings are made available, in advance, to the public and news media.(e) Each governing body of the executive branch of the state shall electronically file a notice of each meeting with the Secretary of State for publication on the Secretary of State's website.(1) Each notice shall state the date, time, place and purpose of the meeting.(2) Each notice of a special meeting or a regular meeting shall be filed in a manner to allow each notice to appear on the Secretary of State's website at least five business days prior to the date of the meeting.(3) When calculating the days, the day of the meeting is not to be counted. If a meeting notice is filed anytime other than during the Secretary of State's regular business hours, the date of filing will be considered the next business day.(f) The Secretary of State shall retain copies of all notices filed for ten years.(g) The Secretary of State may promulgate procedural rules governing the electronic filing of meeting notices.(h) In the event of an emergency a governing body may call an emergency meeting.(1) The governing body of a state executive branch agency shall electronically file a notice for an emergency meeting with the Secretary of State, as soon as practicable prior to the meeting. Any other governing body shall notice an emergency meeting in a manner which is consistent with this article and the Ethics Commission Committee on Open Governmental Meeting's opinions issued pursuant to the authority of section ten of this article, as soon as practicable prior to the meeting.(2) The emergency meeting notice shall state the date, time, place and purpose of the meeting and the facts and circumstances of the emergency.(i) Upon petition by any adversely affected party any court of competent jurisdiction may invalidate any action taken at any meeting for which notice did not comply with the requirements of this section.
WV Code § 6-9A-5 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9A. Open Governmental Proceedings|§6-9A-5. Minutes

Each governing body shall provide for the preparation of written minutes of all of its meetings. Subject to the exceptions set forth in section four of this article, minutes of all meetings except minutes of executive sessions, if any are taken, shall be available to the public within a reasonable time after the meeting and shall include, at least, the following information:(1) The date, time and place of the meeting;(2) The name of each member of the governing body present and absent;(3) All motions, proposals, resolutions, orders, ordinances and measures proposed, the name of the person proposing the same and their disposition; and(4) The results of all votes and, upon the request of a member, pursuant to the rules, policies or procedures of the governing board for recording roll call votes, the vote of each member, by name.
WV Code § 6-9A-6 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9A. Open Governmental Proceedings|§6-9A-6. Enforcement by Injunctions; Actions in Violation of Article Voidable; Voidability of Bond Issues

The circuit court in the county where the public agency regularly meets has jurisdiction and is a proper venue to enforce this article upon civil action commenced by any citizen of this state within 120 days after the action complained of was taken or the decision complained of was made. Where the action seeks injunctive relief, no bond may be required unless the petition appears to be without merit or made with the sole intent of harassing or delaying or avoiding return by the governing body.The court is empowered to compel compliance or enjoin noncompliance with the provisions of this article and to annul a decision made in violation of this article. An injunction may also order that subsequent actions be taken or decisions be made in conformity with the provisions of this article: Provided, That no bond issue that has been passed or approved by any governing body in this state may be annulled under this section if notice of the meeting at which the bond issue was finally considered was given at least 10 days prior to the meeting by a Class I legal advertisement published in accordance with the provisions of §59-3-1 et seq. of this code in a qualified newspaper having a general circulation in the geographic area represented by that governing body.In addition to or in conjunction with any other acts or omissions which may be determined to be in violation of this article, it is a violation of this article for a governing body to hold a private meeting with the intention of transacting public business, thwarting public scrutiny and making decisions that eventually become official action.Any order which compels compliance or enjoins noncompliance with the provisions of this article, or which annuls a decision made in violation of this article shall include findings of fact and conclusions of law and shall be recorded in the minutes of the governing body.
WV Code § 6-9A-7 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9A. Open Governmental Proceedings|§6-9A-7. Violation of Article; Criminal Penalties; Attorney Fees and Expenses in Civil Actions

(a) Any person who is a member of a public or governmental body required to conduct open meetings in compliance with the provisions of this article and who willfully and knowingly violates the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500: Provided, That a person who is convicted of a second or subsequent offense under this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000.(b) A public agency whose governing body is adjudged in a civil action to have conducted a meeting in violation of the provisions of this article may be liable to a prevailing party for fees and other expenses incurred by that party in connection with litigating the issue of whether the governing body acted in violation of this article, unless the court finds that the position of the public agency was substantially justified or that special circumstances make an award of fees and other expenses unjust.(c) Where the court, upon denying the relief sought by the complaining person in the action, finds that the action was frivolous or commenced with the primary intent of harassing the governing body or any member thereof or, in the absence of good faith, of delaying any meetings or decisions of the governing body, the court may require the complaining person to pay the governing body's necessary attorney fees and expenses.
WV Code § 6-9A-8 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9A. Open Governmental Proceedings|§6-9A-8. Acting by Reference; Written Ballots

(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the members of a public agency may not deliberate, vote, or otherwise take official action upon any matter by reference to a letter, number or other designation or other secret device or method, which may render it difficult for persons attending a meeting of the public agency to understand what is being deliberated, voted or acted upon. However, this subsection does not prohibit a public agency from deliberating, voting or otherwise taking action by reference to an agenda, if copies of the agenda, sufficiently worded to enable the public to understand what is being deliberated, voted or acted upon, are available for public inspection at the meeting.(b) A public agency may not vote by secret or written ballot.
WV Code § 6-9A-9 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9A. Open Governmental Proceedings|§6-9A-9. Broadcasting or Recording Meetings

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, any radio or television station is entitled to broadcast all or any part of a meeting required to be open. (b) A public agency may regulate the placement and use of equipment necessary for broadcasting, photographing, filming or recording a meeting, so as to prevent undue interference with the meeting. The public agency shall allow the equipment to be placed within the meeting room in such a way as to permit its intended use, and the ordinary use of the equipment may not be declared to constitute undue interference: Provided, That if the public agency, in good faith, determines that the size of the meeting room is such that all the members of the public present and the equipment and personnel necessary for broadcasting, photographing, filming and tape-recording the meeting cannot be accommodated in the meeting room without unduly interfering with the meeting and an adequate alternative meeting room is not readily available, then the public agency, acting in good faith and consistent with the purposes of this article, may require the pooling of the equipment and the personnel operating it.
WV Code § 6-9A-10 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9A. Open Governmental Proceedings|§6-9A-10. Open Governmental Meetings Committee

The West Virginia Ethics Commission, pursuant to subsection (j), section one, article two, chapter six-b of this code, shall appoint from the membership of the commission a subcommittee of three persons designated as the West Virginia Ethics Commission committee on open governmental meetings. The chairman shall designate one of the persons to chair the committee. In addition to the three members of the committee, two additional members of the commission shall be designated to serve as alternate members of the committee.The chairman of the committee or the executive director shall call meetings of the committee to act on requests for advisory opinions interpreting the West Virginia open government meetings act. Advisory opinions shall be issued in a timely manner, not to exceed thirty days.
WV Code § 6-9A-11 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers|Article 9A. Open Governmental Proceedings|§6-9A-11. Request for Advisory Opinion; Maintaining Confidentiality

(a) Any governing body or member thereof subject to the provisions of this article may seek advice and information from the executive director of the West Virginia Ethics Commission or request in writing an advisory opinion from the West Virginia Ethics Commission Committee on Open Governmental Meetings as to whether an action or proposed action violates the provisions of this article. The executive director may render oral advice and information upon request. The committee shall respond in writing and in an expeditious manner to a request for an advisory opinion. The opinion is binding on the parties requesting the opinion.(b) Any governing body or member thereof that seeks an advisory opinion and acts in good faith reliance on the opinion has an absolute defense to any civil suit or criminal prosecution for any action taken in good faith reliance on the opinion unless the committee was willfully and intentionally misinformed as to the facts by the body or its representative.(c) A governing body or member thereof that acts in good faith reliance on a written advisory opinion sought by another person or governing body has an absolute defense to any civil suit or criminal prosecution for any action taken based upon a written opinion of the West Virginia Ethics Commission committee, as long as underlying facts and circumstances surrounding the action were the same or substantially the same as those being addressed by the written opinion.(d) The committee and commission may take appropriate action to protect from disclosure information which is properly shielded by an exception provided in section four of this article.