The West Virginia State Capitol (Photo by Perry Bennett/West Virginia Legislative Photography)
Gov. Patrick Morrisey named Aaron Snodgrass as the new state budget director earlier this month after two longtime executives left the post.
Snodgrass most recently served as chief financial officer for the West Virginia Department of Health Facilities. He brings more than 15 years of “financial and operational leadership experience” to the state budget office, according to a press release from Morrisey on Wednesday. According to his biography about the state Ministry of Finance websiteSnodgrass was named state budget director on June 1.
Most recently, Mike McKown served as state budget director alongside Deputy Treasury Secretary Mark Muchow. McKown retired during Gov. Jim Justice’s final term, but returned to office during Morrisey’s early days. Both McKown and Muchow have since retired.
Their departures occur because Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, chairman of the House Finance Committee where he was heavily involved in state budget matters, lost his re-election campaign during the May primary. Criss was one of several Republican incumbents unseated in the primary after being targeted by Morrisey.
In his new role, Snodgrass will oversee the state budget and assist lawmakers in both the creation and understanding of the budget.
As part of his previous role at the Department of Health Facilities, Snodgrass helped make this possible controversial Sale of four state long-term care facilities, a $140 million divestiture from the state, the release said. The sale triggered a lawsuit on behalf of a resident in one of the hospitals. While a restraining order meager the sale was postponed during a legal dispute last fall, A judge ruled less than a week later for sales to continue.
The state sold the four hospitals to a New York-based developer – Marx Development sued at the federal level last March for violations of disability rights laws — for $60 million. The state collected $52.8 million from the sale.
In the months following the sale of the hospitals, the projected costs of operating the remaining three state facilities were estimated bloated due to a loss of federal funding.
According to the release, while at the Ministry of Health Facilities, Snodgrass also oversaw the $300 million budget and conducted revenue forecasting and systems monitoring.
Snodgrass — who holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration in management from Marshall University — worked in the private sector before joining the state, according to the release.
“Aaron brings extensive financial management experience and a strong track record of operational leadership to this role,” Morrisey said in the release. “As we continue to work to improve government efficiency, strengthen fiscal responsibility and position West Virginia for long-term success, I am confident Aaron will be a valuable addition to our team.”
