PARSONS – A Field Representative from U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Todd Gunter, addressed the Tucker County Commission Wednesday, offering the Senator’s help with local projects, especially those projects associated with water and transportation.
Todd Gunter, Field Representative for U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., addresses members of the Tucker County Commission Wednesday in Parsons.
“It’s my job to be the Senator’s eyes and ears on the ground I cover,” Gunter said. “I will be in the area. Anytime you think there are meetings I should attend or there is something the Senator should know about, I will be the person to bring the issues to her attention.”
Gunter told those gathered to contact him if they needed anything.
“We are particularly interested in water projects, transportation (including Corridor H),” Gunter said. “The Senator hopes to use her position in the Appropriations Committee to direct as much money as possible back here to W.Va.”
Gunter said Capito does not expect to be Senator Robert C. Byrd overnight, but said they hope to use Capito’s newfound position to the advantage of communities and counties like Tucker County.
“Anything I can do, please let me know,” Gunter said.
Commission President Lowell Moore thanked Gunter for attending the meeting and asked Gunter to keep the Canaan Valley Institute property in mind. “The CVI property is very important to us,” Moore said.
Darla Stemple, Director of the Tucker County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management/911, spoke with Commissioners about two legislative bills dealing with the W.Va. State Interoperable Radio Network. Stemple said unfortunately, the bills were going in the wrong direction.
“We have to get this stopped,” Stemple said. “They have introduced two bills in the House – 2871, which we support and 2932 which we oppose. HB 2932 wants to take 5 percent of our 911 wireless fund and put it into the W.Va. State Police to maintain the WV State Interoperable Radio Network. We do not want that.”
Stemple explained her preferred route would be for the WV State Interoperable Radio Network to be under Homeland Security and Emergency Management because it would include all of the agencies affected by the radio system, rather than it being under just one agency.
Commissioner Diane Hinkle asked Stemple if the control was under multiple agencies if the W.Va. State Police still benefitted.
“Yes. They also have a voice in it,” Stemple said. “There is a State Interoperable Radio Network Committee which is appointed by the Governor. It has all of the agencies that are affected by the radio network on the committee.
“I have talked to Delegate Danny Wagner, R-Barbour, and he is 100 percent behind us,” Stemple said. “He said he was going to talk to delegates as he sees them. I put a call into Delegate Randy Smith, R-Preston, and left a message.”
Stemple said there was a good push on the W.Va. Senate side, but it just kind of stopped. “We have to get House Bill 2932 stopped.”
In other business, Stemple told Commissioners that a few nights ago, Tucker County had the coldest temperatures recorded in a long time.
“We had issues on the night of Feb. 15, with gas service to Davis and Thomas,” Stemple said. “We did not completely lose gas service, but we got down to three pounds of pressure that was supposed to supply both Thomas and Davis.”
Stemple said she understood that Columbia Gas, on their end, has a slug in the system.
“They cannot clean this out without shutting the system down,” Stemple said. “Obviously, they cannot do this in winter weather. I do think that it is something we need to check on this summer and make sure it gets taken care of so we don’t do this every year.”
Stemple said they cannot use the Thomas Community Center as an emergency shelter as it is.
“It is supplied with natural gas,” Stemple said. “They took out the coal furnace and put in natural gas without making the furnace a dual fuel system. I talked to Mayor Matt Quattro and he agrees. I talked to Brad Phillips, who put the system in, and asked him what it would take to make the furnace a dual fuel system. He said we would have to purchase four valves and four orifice kits, and install dual manifolds.”
Stemple said she would like to get that system hooked up so they could use Thomas as an emergency shelter. She said they would also need a 1,000 gallon propane tank to supply the system, which would heat the shelter for 21 to 23 days.
Hinkle said it was good of the Canaan Valley Institute to offer up their building as an alternate shelter should the gas have gone out last week. “One employee did spend the night there and they were ready if anyone showed up needing shelter.”
Commissioners voted to get bids to update the furnace to a dual fuel system at Thomas Community Center.
During Commissioner Reports, Moore offered his condolences to Ben Kisamore who lost his brother in law. Moore said nine AmeriCorps volunteers served their time at the Tucker County Animal Shelter on the Martin Luther King holiday.
“We should have brought them in and recognized them for their service,” Moore said. “They don’t get recognized for the service they do. They are Emma Donovan, Rachel Fedders, Travis Ferry, Mimi Gunderson, Sydney Haltom, Daniel Hobbs, Alex Hodges, Audrey Stefenson, Emily Wilson-Hauger and Becca Ferry. We really appreciate their great work.”
Hinkle said the Cultural District Authority set up their infrastructure the first year they were together and are ready to move forward on some items.
“We will be launching our website within the year and are talking about doing a trifold asset map of the culture activities in Tucker County,” Hinkle said. “So when somebody comes, they will know where the nine buildings on the National Register are located, they will know where the coal mines are and where the art galleries are. This will make sure everything is in one place.”
Hinkle said the Woodland Development Group facilitated a meeting at Thomas Education Center last week.
“They invited non-profits and really anyone was welcome,” Hinkle said. “It was a really good discussion about the emerging cultural arts in the county. It lasted almost three hours and the follow up session will hone in on outdoor recreation. It will widen the circle of those involved in the planning. They also identified some grants.”
Commissioner Patrick Darlington said the Corridor H Board reported they are going to open 7.5 miles from Kerens to Parsons up to bid in April to begin construction in August.
“That would bring it to the first entrance to Moore Station Road,” Darlington said. “That will be very nice.”
Darlington also recognized everyone who worked to make Tucker County Day in Charleston a huge success.
“I want to thank those who were involved in putting that event together,” Darlington said. “It was a tremendous showing from Tucker County. The meetings with all of our representatives went well. The food, drinks and movies were a great showing down there. I am very proud of everybody who put that together.”
The next meeting of the Tucker County Commission is slated for 9 a.m. March 11 in the Tucker County Courthouse Courtroom.
