CHARLES TOWN, WV.  Jefferson County Vision (JCV) cheered yesterday’s Circuit Court ruling which declared the multi-million dollar Rockwool PILOT “is not an enforceable agreement.”  Rockwool and its supporters have used the PILOT to threaten local government with lawsuits and claim our community consented to subsidizing toxic smokestacks by our schools.

In response to a lawsuit brought by JCV,  Judge David Hammer ruled, “The Court agrees with the Plaintiff’s contention in Count VI that the PILOT is defective on its face: The only two essential parties to the PILOT are Rockwool and the JCDA. Absent the JCDA’s assent evidenced by a vote of its board, the PILOT is not an enforceable agreement – it is merely a proposal.”

JCV Board member Shaun Amos commented: “The Judge made it clear that Rockwool PILOT does not bind our community to this project.  It is a mere proposal, by public officials who have since resigned in disgrace, to subsidize heavy industry by our schools. The vast majority of people here reject smokestacks by schools.”

“With this ruling, all governmental bodies in Jefferson County are free to disregard PILOT and require that Rockwool pay their fair share of the taxes they owe to our community.  This ruling is an important step towards restoring government accountability in Jefferson County.”