Almost $85,000 in Unclaimed Funds Returned to WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital | News, Sports, Jobs
Doug Harrison, CEO of WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital, left, points out to West Virginia Treasurer Riley Moore notable sites on the hospital property. Riley came to the hospital Tuesday to deliver hospital officials a check for nearly $85,000 in unclaimed funds. (Photo by Joselyn King)
WHEELING — WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital received a windfall of nearly $85,000 Tuesday that officials hadn’t realized was due them.
West Virginia Treasurer Riley Moore came to Wheeling to personally deliver a check for $84,953 to the hospital from the state’s unclaimed property fund. He explained funds that are determined to be “dormant” — such as unclaimed checks, inheritances or insurance settlements — find their way to his office and the unclaimed property fund.
The money to Wheeling Hospital was largely from an insurance settlement and uncashed vendor reimbursement checks, Moore said.
Earlier this week, Moore presented $42,976 in unclaimed property funds to WVU Hospitals and J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown.
“I’m not competitive or anything, but we got more than Ruby,” joked Douglas Harrison, CEO of WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital, after Tuesday’s check presentation.
He said the hospital was going to put the money into its foundation “to use to support services that benefit the community.”
“We’ve got a few things going on now,” Harrison continued. “We’re looking at launching some new pediatric services in the community. We have the new cancer center we are looking at building.
“This money will go into an unrestrictive fund and be used as needed to support those community activities.”
Moore is the oldest grandson of former Gov. Arch Moore, and the nephew of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia.
He indicated he enjoyed coming to the Northern Panhandle, and that he has “driven past Wheeling Hospital many times.”
“Being able to come here and give something back means a lot to me,” he said.
Changes in the state’s unclaimed property tax laws have allowed his office to return more unclaimed money to its owners, Moore continued.
Modernization of the code has streamlined the process, he explained.
“We have now returned more money this year than in any other fiscal year in state history,” he said. “So we’re very excited to add another one to the pile.”
Moore has announced he will run for West Virginia’s 2nd District U.S. House seat in 2024.
“It would be the absolute honor of my life to be able to represent this district,” he said. “This area means a lot to me. I think we need somebody who understands the Northern Panhandle, understands the Eastern Panhandle, and the entirety of the district. My grandfather represented this district in Congress many, many decades ago. I don’t think it would be the worst thing in the world to have another Moore there one more time,” Moore added.
