Jump to full article: WSAZ NewsChannel 3 (Huntington, WV), 2009-10-28
Intro: If you don't like the rules in one county, just move to the county next door.
Leaders in Nitro are hoping to move out from under the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department and merge with the Putnam County Health Department. This move is due to the Kanawha County smoking ban and Tri-State Racetrack and Casino's claim that it's costing them millions.
Nitro passed an ordinance a couple of months ago allowing smoking at the racetrack. But rather than face a costly legal fight, Nitro City Councilman Craig Matthews says the better route is to merge with the Putnam County Health Department. Part of Nitro is in Putnam County.
At a health board meeting Tuesday night, Councilman Matthews laid out a plan for the merger. He says West Virginia law allows a municipality to create its own health department or merge with nearby county. He says it would be too expensive for the city of Nitro to form its own health department, but a merger would be viable.
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