Terra Alta recorder resigns after town fails to submit budget
TERRA ALTA, W.Va. (WBOY) — After it was revealed last week that the Town of Terra Alta is nearly two months behind the deadline to submit its annual budget, the town's recorder has now submitted her letter of resignation.
In a Facebook post made Friday by the Town of Terra Alta, Recorder Mikaela Bernard published her letter of resignation, saying that she feels the move is 'in the town of Terra Alta's best interest.'
'With the missed deadline of the budget and now that I have all accurate and true information surrounding what needs to be done to attempt to solve what can be solved, I do not feel I can personally meet the obligations and the time and work requirement that will be necessary to do so due to my employment and having a new baby at home,' she said.
State Auditor's Office officials told 12 News last week that the town had failed to submit its annual budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 and was even weeks behind on an extension deadline. Failure to submit this budget means that no levy rate was approved for the town and, as it stands, the town can't collect taxes.
In her statement, Bernard apologized to the town's residents, saying that she 'did not even know that it was a thing that needed to be completed' until being notified on May 12, but 'that's no excuse.' She added that she feels that the town's recorder 'needs to be a full time position in order to be able to do the job successfully.'
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'My hope is that someone who has the ability and the time to do what needs to be done can be appointed to the position. I do not want to be in a position taking up space when I now know what needs to be done and I do not have the ability to fulfill it,' Bernard said.
Bernard also thanked the employees she's worked with over the past 23 months.
After 12 News initially reported on the town's budget woes, Terra Alta Mayor Dan Hauger issued a statement taking full responsibility and calling it 'a major oversight.' Despite being far behind the deadline, he affirmed that the town has contacted its accountant and is working with the State Auditor's Office to resolve this issue.
12 News has reached out to Hauger for comment on Bernard's resignation. Stay tuned for updates.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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