By Beth Christian Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
PARSONS – The Pulp Mill Bottom Dike is moving closer to being repaired. Tucker County Commission President Lowell Moore said he was placing ads in the paper for bids to complete needed repairs in the Parsons Advocate and the Elkins Inter-Mountain newspapers for two weeks seeking bids for the completion of the project. Moore has committed to giving a weekly update until the funding has been received and the dike repairs are completed.
“I met with FEMA up on site and EHP – the Environmental Historical Preservation group,” Moore said. SHPO said they did not think we would have to do a phase one evaluation of the property but said we had to meet with EHP. FEMA came here and we shared information and they went up on the site.”
Moore said FEMA was well pleased with the visit and said they would provide a letter within 30 days. “They gave us permission to go ahead with the bidding process.”
He said he would find out on Thursday what Fish and Wildlife said about their permit.
“As of today, (Wednesday) the bid is being put in the local paper and the Elkins Inter-Mountain,” Moore said. “It will run two weeks. The plans and the contract can be picked up at any time on October 21, or thereafter, at the Morgantown Office of Triad.”
Moore said prebid is 10 a.m. October 28 in the Tucker County Commission Office and the opening of the bids is slated for 2 p.m. Nov. 11.
“So it is in progress,” Moore said. “I think everything is a go. What concerns me is it is late in the year and the weather. That’s as close as we can get it done.”
Officials originally discovered a hole in the Pulp Mill Bottom Dike in Parsons during the July 4 weekend in 2014 and have been working with county, state and federal agencies to help secure funds to get the damage repaired to keep local residents safe should there be flooding in the area.