The Records Management and Preservation Board (RMPB) has awarded $324,623 in grant funds to thirty-seven West Virginia county commissions for records management and preservation projects. The Board reviewed submissions and made its recommendations in January for projects to improve management, storage conditions, accessibility, and preservation of public records held in county offices. Following official letters announcing the successful grants, RMPB staff will provide technical assistance in setting up the grant projects, which officially begin with the new fiscal year (July 1, 2021). A complete list of recipients is attached.
The RMPB was created by the West Virginia Legislature in 2000 to develop a system of records management and preservation for county governments. Funding for the grants program comes from filing fees collected by county clerks and deposited in the special Public Records and Preservation Revenue Account. Applications for the next grant cycle will be available September 1, 2021.
For more information about the Records Management and Preservation Board's annual grant program or the work of the RMPB, contact Denise Ferguson, county records archivist, West Virginia Archives and History, by phone at (304) 558-0230, ext. 150, by e-mail at denise.l.ferguson@wv.gov, or by mail at Records Management and Preservation Board, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Building 9, Charleston, WV 25305-0300. Information can be accessed electronically at www.wvculture.org/history/rmpb/rmpb.html.
Barbour County Commission, $14,364 to digitize microfiche of civil and criminal case files and chancery order books in the circuit clerk's office, and to digitize the earliest deed of trust and judgement books in the county clerk's office, and for personnel costs to review and implement the records retention schedule in the prosecuting attorney's office.
Berkeley County Council, $14,038 to index digital images of case files in the circuit clerk's office, and to purchase a map cabinet and Mylar sleeves in the county clerk's office.
Boone County Commission, $6,390 to purchase color desk scanners and a high-volume, micro-cut shredder to dispose of documents that have exceeded the records retention in the sheriff's office.
Cabell County Commission, $7,047 to digitize the earliest bonds, contracts, and lease books in the county clerk's office.
Fayette County Commission, $13,500 to purchase moveable track shelving for long-term case files in the circuit clerk's office, and color document scanners in the county commission office.
Grant County Commission, $9,086 to digitize grantee/grantor deed index books in the county clerk's office.
Harrison County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index civil, criminal, chancery, and law order books in the circuit clerk's office.
Jackson County Commission, $3,124 to recover earliest chancery index books in the circuit clerk's office.
Jefferson County Commission, $14,545 to purchase moveable track shelving for long-term case files in the sheriff's office, and to purchase document scanners to digitize building permits in the county commission office.
Kanawha County Commission, $9,545 to purchase archives records storage boxes for long-term, inactive case files in the circuit clerk's office, and to recover earliest deed books in the in the county clerk's office.
Lewis County Commission, $14,052 to scan and index civil and criminal case files in the circuit clerk's office, to scan and index criminal reports in the sheriff's office, and to purchase roller shelving for deed and land books in the county clerk's office.
Lincoln County Commission, $14,318 to scan and index oversize release and assignment books, and to restore and encapsulate the earliest land books in the county clerk's office.
Mason County Commission, $11,818 to scan and index oversize release and deeds of trust books in the county clerk's office, and to purchase shelving for evidence storage in the circuit clerk's office.
McDowell County Commission, $4,909 to encapsulate and digitize map books in the county clerk's office.
Mercer County Commission, $10,000 to purchase moveable track shelving for case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Mineral County Commission, $6,169 to scan and index deed of trust and assignment books in the county clerk's office, and to purchase a high-volume, micro-cut shredder to dispose of records that have exceeded the retention requirement in the circuit clerk's office.
Mingo County Commission, $17,000 to purchase a large format color document scanner/printer and shelving in the assessor's office, and to review case files and implement the records retention schedule in the circuit clerk's office.
Monongalia County Commission, $10,000 to purchase an oversize document scanner to digitize oversize record books and maps in the county clerk's office.
Monroe County Commission, $10,000 to index deed books that were digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project in the county clerk's office, and to scan and index civil case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Morgan County Commission, $13,000 to scan and index case files in the prosecuting attorney's office, to scan and index map cards in the assessor's office, and to scan and index deed books in the county clerk's office.
Ohio County Commission, $10,000 to digitize the earliest criminal, law, and process order books in the circuit clerk's office.
Pendleton County Commission, $9,091 to index deed books that were digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project and to restore and encapsulate the earliest minute books in the county clerk's office.
Pocahontas County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index chancery and law case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Preston County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index title index documents, and to purchase a large format color scanner and color desk top scanners for the assessor's office.
Putnam County Commission, $12,037 to open steel shelving for climate-controlled records storage area.
Ritchie County Commission, $8,442 to digitize the assessor's copies of land books in the county clerk's office.
Roane County Commission, $9,585 to purchase open steel shelving for the commission, assessor, and county clerk's long-term, inactive climate-controlled records storage area.
Summers County Commission, $6,727 to purchase a map cabinet and Mylar sleeves, and a high-volume, micro-cut shredder to dispose of documents that have exceeded the records retention requirement in the county clerk's office.
Wayne County Commission, $10,000 to index deed books that were digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project in the county clerk's office and encapsulate the assessor's copies of land books in the county clerk's office.
Wirt County Commission, $15,836 to index deed books imaged by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project, and to purchase a large-format color scanner to digitize oversize books and maps and color desk top scanners in the county clerk's office.
Wood County Commission, $10,000 to purchase color desk scanners in the circuit clerk's office.
Records Management and Preservation Board
West Virginia Archives and History