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A Wirt County group will be asking the Wirt Commission to place a special
operating levy on the May ballot to "save the county" from financial
collapse.
The Commission is expected to try the initiative again to preserve the
county, which is facing imminent bankruptcy.
Wirt County Commissioner Lention Offutt has said "Wirt County has
struggled financially (during the past five years). This past August our
county jail was closed permanently with the opening of the regional jail in
Doddridge County. This has made a heavy financial burden on our
county."
Offutt said the county has only stayed afloat the past two years because of
band-aid money provided by the State of West Virginia.
He said "This aid is not likely to continue," and asked that Wirt citizens
support a special operating levy.
Offutt announced he would not run for re-election to the commission at the
end of his term in 2002. | 
