Tucker County Commission addresses many issues in July 13 meeting

By Beth Christian Broschart
The Parsons Advocate

PARSONS – During Wednesday’s Tucker County Commission meeting, commissioners voted to approve signing the Flex-E-Grant which will provide funds for the City of Davis. Dan Minkel asked the commissioners to sign the grant. Also during that meeting, commissioners listened to a presentation from Tucker County Chamber of Commerce representative Andy Snyder. Snyder said the Tucker County Chamber of Commerce was asking for the commissioners to approve putting Senate Bill 298 on the November ballot, giving the voting residents of Tucker County the option of approving the sale of alcohol on Sunday two hours earlier.
Tucker County Commissioners voted to place Senate Bill 298, nicknamed the Sunday Brunch Law, on the ballot to give area voters the chance to voice their opinion of the proposal. Commissions said their vote to put this on the ballot should not be construed as their opinion of the proposal.
“We merely want to put this on the ballot so Tucker County citizens can vote whether they want this change or not,” Lowell Moore, Tucker County Commission President said.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Commissioner Diane Hinkle told Commissioners the Tucker County Asset Map is being finalized.
“The map identifies items of interest to those who live in and visit Tucker County regarding accommodations, arts and cultural venues, adventure and outdoor recreation, agritourism, festivals and events, restaurants and breweries and historical sites. The brochures that provide information related to Tucker County Arts and Culture, adventure and recreation and history and heritage are in development,” Hinkle said. “Recent workshops facilitated by Peter Butler, Associate Professor, WVU Landscape Architecture Program and Doug Arbogast, WVU Extension Service Rural Tourism were held in Parsons, Thomas and Canaan Valley to gather local input related to development of a cultural tourism plan for the benefit of the county and the citizens who live here.”
“I attend many meetings and I know folks have strong opinions about the future of Tucker County,” Hinkle said. “The survey being sent to all Tucker County homes to assess residents’ attitudes towards tourism development is important. Please take time to complete it and mail it back in. Responses will drive the county-wide plan for the development of tourism in ways that are respectful of residents and maximize the economic impact.”
Maintenance supervisor Joe Long had the summer youth program students report on their activities to the Tucker County Commissioners. Students said they completed tasks including pressure washing and painting, staining the handicap ramp and decking around the Tucker County Courthouse, helping move the air conditioner and copier for the Tucker County EMS and helping finish the taxes.
Moore said he traveled to Charleston with Dustin Luzier and Elizabeth Smith for the presentation of the Community Corrections grants. He said Tucker County Community Corrections received $90,000. He said they had requested $100,000 and were pleased with their grant because some other counties were cut as much as 20 to 25 percent of what they asked for. He said three programs were not approved for any funding.
Also, Moore said the Tucker County Development Authority budget was cut by $15,500. He said the group would be asking the state to place a welcome center on the new part of Corridor H in Tucker County.
Hinkle shared two pieces of information from Director of the Tucker County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management/911 Darla Stemple. Hinkle said Stemple held a tabletop exercise with an anthrax scenario. She said the purpose of the event was to find a way to handle the situation and determine what and who was needed.
Hinkle also shared Stemple’s report on donations for those affected by the flooding in the southern part of the state. Stemple said collection sites were set up at the Tucker County FRN, Mountain State Brewery, the Tucker County Senior Center, the City of Parsons, Thomas City Hall, Canaan Valley State Park and the Tucker County 911 Center. She said the groups collected about 10 pickup truck loads of supplies, along with Brett Ware’s truck which was loaded with drinking water and bleach.
Stemple commended those who helped collect and deliver the supplies to Clay County and said when they delivered baby items to the Clay County WIC Office a representative from WIC had tears in her eyes because the group brought a crib – an item she had been searching desperately for since the day of the flooding.
“This crew worked hard but would do it again if called upon,” Stemple said.
Finally, Tucker County Commissioners voted only have one meeting in August and set that for 9 a.m. Aug. 17 in the Tucker County Courthouse Courtroom.