Diana Cromley named as new president of WV Association of Counties
West Virginia Press Association
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The WV Association of Counties (WVACo) held its annual Spring Board Meeting last week at Cacapon Resort State Park in Morgan County and on June 3 installed Mason County Clerk Diana Cromley as their new President for the 2024-25 year. Cromley has served Mason County since 1992 when first elected to her office.
“It has always been a pleasure to be among West Virginia’s elected officials,” said Cromley. “I have seen up-close the influence county officials can have bringing issues before the state legislature that improve the lives of our fellow West Virginians.”
Cromley points to several accomplishments by county government over the years. “Most recently we have protected our taxpayers, working with state leaders to provide tax credits on personal property. Starting in 2002, clerks like me helped institute early voting across West Virginia – 10 days of voting prior to election day – making for easy access to help people vote.” Cromley also serves on the West Virginia Courthouse Facilities Authority, where since 2001 over $40 million has been distributed for improvements to those historic structures.
Looking ahead, Cromley identifies several priorities for counties and officials: a pay raise that keeps-up with national inflation as well as ensuring counties are served by the best professional applicants for being a county official. As a County Clerk, she and fellow clerks want to address a legal loophole in the recording of some property tax deeds that have accounted for the loss of county revenue. “Counties have expanding duties like jail costs, and we can’t afford losing revenues we need to provide our vital services.” She sees that regional jail system as a perennial issue to work in common cause with legislators.
Cromley resides in Point Pleasant with her husband Ed, a longtime coach and educator in Mason County. There they raised two children: son Bryan Cromley, who is a Judge for the Fifth Family Court Circuit of Mason, Jackson and Wirt Counties; daughter Brooke Price, a designer and salesperson for cabinet maker Prime Innovations in Gallipolis, OH. They are the proud grandparents to seven grandchildren.
“It’s an extreme honor to serve as President of WVACo,” she declared.
WVACo represents all the elected courthouse county officials before the Capitols in Charleston and in Washington, D.C., addressing issues of importance to West Virginia county government. Those courthouse offices are: Assessors, Circuit Clerks, Commissioners, County Clerks, Prosecutors and Sheriffs.
