Kanawha County Commission Joins Paving Lawsuit

The Kanawha County Commission is joining the city of Charleston, the state of West Virginia and three other cities in the state in suing West Virginia Paving over an alleged monopoly. Commissioners voted last week to join the lawsuit. The Gazette-Mail says the complaint alleges that West Virginia Paving Inc. and its sister companies violated the state’s Antitrust Act. The companies took control of at least 15 asphalt plants and created a scheme that caused the municipalities to pay at least 40 percent more for asphalt. WV Paving denies doing anything wrong. Commission President Kent Carper said he plans to ask other county agencies whether they plan to join the lawsuit.