In 2000, a survey of 148 local government officials in West Virginia sought information in eight areas of local issues, including community needs. This paper focuses on responses of about 11 categories of community needs and compares them to findings from a similar study conducted in 1996. The categories are governmental administration, financial management, public finance, economic development, planning and land use, infrastructure and environmental management, transportation, housing, public health and social services, public safety, and education. Responses were analyzed for the state overall and for the 10 regional planning and development councils. Findings indicate that economic development, particularly recruitment of new manufacturing industry, continued to be the top concern among West Virginia local officials. Education and housing issues remained important overall issues, but public health and social services issues and planning and land use issues gained in importance. Meanwhile, public finance, infrastructure, and environmental management matters became less of a concern. Domestic violence became a more important issue, but the average score remained the same. Appendices present statewide responses by category, overall rankings of all issues examined, and a list of top 10 concerns by planning and development council region. (TD)