By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Blackwater Public Service District is moving forward with a sewer project that will encompass a large portion of Tucker County on the mountain. Included in the project are the Towns of Davis and Thomas along with much of the surrounding area. During a meeting of the PSD held Tuesday, June 18th at Davis Town Hall, the PSD addressed a number of updates on the project.
Executive Director for Region VII Planning and Development Council Shane Whitehair was on hand at the meeting and addressed the PSD’s recent contract signed with Bond Counsel Jackson Kelley. Whitehair suggested the PSD meet with the counselors to discuss plans moving forward and also suggested that the PSD consider moving forward with the incorporation process that would begin to tie the Towns of Davis and Thomas into the project. “Kind of figure out the next steps moving forward,” Whitehair said. “Because they are going to have to steer this boat going forward.” “
Whitehair said the Bond Counsel would also be the ones to advise on how to move forward with the acquisition process. “I think we are going to have to maybe look at, at least starting the acquisition process with the towns to PSD,” Whitehair said. “Then figure out, (have them) tell us what the process consists of and what the steps will be and all that.”
Tucker County Commissioner Fred Davis was on hand at the meeting as a member of the audience. Davis asked the board about the need for a sewer line to the site of a new Food Pantry in Thomas. Davis said he had been approached, as had Thomas Mayor Jody Flanagan, about the construction of the pantry and the need for the new sewer line. “Is there anyway that some money can be released because its going to end up putting that sewer in any which way it goes,” Davis said.
Whitehair said he had been in contact with Flanagan regarding the project, but would discuss the issue further. Flanagan said he had sent the engineering reports to Whitehair on the project. Whitehair said that he would have to look into funding options because the State has strict regulations regarding the disbursement of funds, but he would try to find a solution. “I’m going to have to talk to Jody and see,” Whitehair said. “Its not like we can just go to Charleston and say I need $300,000 because of this. It doesn’t work that way. So we are going to have to figure out something.”
Davis Mayor Al Tomson said he had recently had a meeting with the Department of Environmental Protection in Charleston. According to Tomson, the meeting went well and the DEP is excited about the PSD project. Whitehair said that he is always asked about the project when he is in Charleston. “She’s looking forward to this project,” Tomson said.
According to Whitehair, the engineering report should be ready by next month. Whitehair said that the firm had received some information from Western Pocahontas, but had not had the opportunity to fully incorporate the information as of yet. “The should be close to being finished,” Whitehair said. “I think he said next month, maybe.”
Tomson presented an update on the status of the sewer project in the Town of Davis. The main development with the project pertains to the obtainment of easements, Tomson said. “They are moving along with getting the easements,” Tomson said. “They have 300 easements to get, I think they’re about halfway finished.”
Tomson said that the Town hopes to break ground in the spring of 2025 on the project. Even though the project may be ready to start in the fall, Tomson said the cost to shut down the project over winter ultimately, did not make sense. Tomson and Whitehair also discussed a possible ground breaking ceremony in the fall. “Ultimately, what we are looking at is probably breaking ground in the spring of 2025,” Tomson said. “We might barely be able to do it in the fall, but that doesn’t make sense with winter coming.”
Thomas Mayor Jody Flanagan said his Town’s sewer project is still on hold and awaiting funding. No other updates were available due to the delay and no timeline for funding was given, according to Flanagan. “We’re still waiting on funding for our sewer,” Flanagan said.
As of yet, a decision of the site for the new Sewage Treatment Plant has not been made, but a decision to exclude Douglas from the site considered was announced at the previous meeting.
The next meeting of the Blackwater Public Service District will be held Tuesday, July 16th at 10 a.m. at the Davis Town Hall.
