PARSONS – A Tucker County resident who has lived in the area for 12 years told Tucker County Commissioners he has been doing research on the internet about the county and what is going on in the county.

Blaine McVicker said his purpose in talking with the Commission is to find out how to motivate the county, stimulate growth and encourage locals who have been in the county for many years.
“I am in conference with both mayors in Thomas and Davis now and have close to $3 million in investments in property in the county,” McVicker said. “I have some skin in the game. I was pretty quiet the first 10 years I was here but it’s a real concern because since 1980 we have lost about 23 percent of our population. We have gone from 8,000 to below 7,000.”
McVicker said that should be a concern because it is the tax base for the county, and they are going elsewhere.
“Last year, according to statistics, we opened 44 new businesses,” McVicker said. “But we also closed 44 new businesses. That comes out of Charleston. It’s a concern because if we are opening new businesses and people take the initiative to do that, then whatever happens, we close an equal amount of businesses, it should be a concern to all of us.”
McVicker said he was not proposing that he has any answers, but merely he is accumulating and assimilating information he thinks down the road could be a positive input.
“I am not here to cry or to put down or to demean anyone, but there are concerns, and most of you know these concerns,” McVicker said. “I think a fresh voice crying out in the wilderness can put out some stuff down on the table.”
McVicker said he appreciated the hard work Tucker County Commissioners have completed and said it needed to be looked at in a positive light.
“There are a couple of things I see,” he said. “I think the ski resort in Timberline is, or has become, a detriment to growth in the County. I have talked to the family, I know Doc. and Fred real well and I have had lengthy conversations about some of the things we can do. I know it is privately owned and I am not sure how much the county can do about that. But that is somewhat of an attraction or draw. I know when David Downs sold the property and I know the history of the property and I know Dave really well.”
“There are some things happening in our county and it’s pretty startling,” McVicker said. “I sat down with one of the leading real estate agents in our county and sat down with Senator (Joe) Manchin and his wife several times over coffee. He is very concerned about it as well.”
McVicker said this is not a cold turkey thing on his part and said he has done his research.
“I am alarmed at some of the stuff I am hearing,” McVicker said. “Real estate agents are saying this is the worst this county has been in 27 years. That is a serious comment coming from real estate agents.”
“How can we stimulate growth?” McVicker said. “I want to propose to the Commission today that we don’t have any codes or regulations in our county. Some of the building that goes on is less than good and proper. I work for the state of West Virginia and I build projects up to $100 million leading 550 people working on the projects. So I am aware of the building concepts and have been doing it for about 35 years. I see some of the buildings we are putting together, with no codes and no quality control, and very little responsibility or accountability when it’s done and it’s a real concern.”
McVicker said he spends lots of time on a scaffold in the middle of Thomas and said he hears all types of comments about Tucker County.
“Some of them are very good and I do my very best to give a perception that the county is good,” McVicker said. “But there are areas we need to improve in and if we are ever going to stimulate growth in this county, we need to – you never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
McVicker said progress is coming but it depends on what kind of progress the county wants.
“We are not going to stop progress and we cannot be steamrolled by something that is not going to be conducive or positive for why we live here,” McVicker said. “If we are ever going to stimulate growth for people to come in here and say they want to rent a place for a month or purchase a place for their second home we need to give an impression and a perception that this is the place you want to come and this is the place you want to enjoy.”
McVicker said there is a need for better housing and mentioned the fact that the county has a lot of dilapidated buildings.
“It’s almost criminal the amount of dilapidated buildings we have in Thomas and Davis, and both the mayors pretty much agree with that,” McVicker said. “Can we make a step to either get these buildings taken down or repaired?”
McVicker said he believes the towns are worth saving.
“How can we do that?” McVicker said. “You guys have been here much longer than I. I think we need to be proactive. The only consistent thing is change.”
“We cannot allow ourselves, and you guys are aware of it, to let the tax base go away because if it does we are going to be in trouble,” McVicker said. “When the road is completed, it is going to bring in eight percent small business growth. But do we have cohesiveness in our towns? Does the County Commission work with the mayors? I don’t know that, but I hope with do with only 7,000 residents.”
McVicker said he found out the county gets a lot of promises but they are never put into practicality.
“I have been asking the leadership of Thomas to put up a caution light as you come around Sirianni’s at the turn,” McVicker said. “I have asked them to consider this so someone won’t get killed. I have watched three or four people almost get run over. Traffic is unbelievable and we are grateful for that. But we have to keep up with the progress and if we don’t, someone is going to get killed on Front Street.”
McVicker said another problem in the area is that the associations in the area should be working with the Tucker County Commissioners on a monthly basis. He said he wanted to be part of the process of making sure people from the Baltimore and D.C. area find Tucker County a haven.
Commission President Lowell Moore thanked McVicker for bringing items to the forefront. “There is a housing problem and we are looking for answers,” Moore said. “The municipalities are not under our jurisdiction and we are limited by that.”
Commissioner Diane Hinkle thanked McVicker for attending the meeting. “I am happy to say that I am a little bit more optimistic than you are,” Hinkle said. “I would invite you to attend any of the public meetings we have. The Planning Commission, the Development Authority and the Cultural District Authority are full tilt proactive. We recognize that managed growth is important so we are exploring avenues to take action, but we want to make sure any action that is taken is done correctly. We are working with WVU. I would invite you to bring your concerns and solutions to some of those meetings.”
Commissioner Patrick Darlington said he agreed with McVicker about what the focus needs to be in the area of growth. “I grew up playing sports all my life, so I appreciate the cohesiveness we need in the county,” Darlington said.
Hinkle also pointed out that WV Living magazine had some of the top in the state. “The Purple Fiddle was recognized for best music, the best state park was Blackwater Falls State Park, the best fall experience was Thomas and Davis and there is a three or four page spread on White Grass,” Hinkle said. “So we are being recognized for the assets we have and we are working diligently to promote, to enhance and to protect those assets.”
Also during the Commission meeting, Commissioners read a letter of thanks from the Tucker County Little League Basketball for their donation of $1,200 toward replacing the floor.
Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Roscoe C. Beall to the Development Authority, Carolsue Carr to the Health Department Board and Marti Neustadt to the Development Authority.
The next Tucker County Commission meeting is slated for 9 a.m. Jan. 25 in the Tucker County Courthouse Courtroom.