A Lot on Their Plates
Town Council Meets
Feb. 4 2020

     Small towns in Appalachia are suffering greatly. Most of that comes from far fewer jobs, shrinking tax bases, and a tendency for young people to move to more prosperous areas. A drive thru many small towns shows the decline thru boarded up windows and the homeless wondering laying around on sidewalks. The Town of Clay fits right in with so many other hamlets. Despair comes to mind.
   Don't know about other municipal governments but we have followed such here for 2 1/2 decades. Up until the last three years, Town leadership was lacking in follow thru and coming up with new ideas. Month after month, some elected person would say they needed to do something and then it was never mentioned again. Sort of fell thru the cracks.
  County Clay has one municipality. In the way of staying alive, the Town makes $$$ from the sell of wawa and the flushing of commodes.
  Clay Town Council met in regular session Feb. 4th in the Town Wawa Plant / Town Hall office. All Council members were present: Joyce Gibson, Jack Brown, Denise Holcomb, Jerry Stover, Cindy Mullins (Recorder), and Renee Moore. Up front was Mayor (Major) Josh Shamblin. That's the Major below center with Council person Jack Brown on the left. On that rainy, foggy evening, a bunch happened. if you're interested in the future of Clayberry, read on.

 Councilperson Stover has been absent from duty. For this return meeting, he asked for updates on stuff from during his absence.  Like...
  As for the Town hiring a Badge, the Mayor explained: the County is asking voters to approve an Excess Levy for the Sheriff's Dept. If that passes May 12th, Shamblin hopes to use one the Black Shirts on a part time bases to cover the Town. Doing such would be much cheaper than hiring a Badges themselves.
  On the topic of selling ATV permits, Mayor Shamblin explained, a few of the new ATV permits have been sold with Town employees doing the inspections and paperwork. He expects many more to sell when the weather warms up. Concerns came on wild arss riders speeding thru the town. Shamblin reminded all, the Town ordinance and well as State Law, makes it clear, no ATV may travel at more than 25 mph.

  As for Town  finances. The Town WAWA account came out ahead last month by $1300; the Log Factory account lost $700 but maintains a balance of $64,700.00; and the Town account cleared $1500.  Rememberm there was a time not too long ago when the Log Factory account was operating in the red monthly and required town loans just to pay its bills.
   20 years ago a new sewer line system was installed in the hamlet. Now with two decades of logs and worse running thru the ne and old clay tile pipes, things are starting to crunch and otherwise screw up. They got some grant money on hand and some initial repairs are being made. Like 3 of the 4 lift stations have received pumps and other repairs. One engineer reporter, "You're in better shape than you were."
   Behind the DHHR building on Main Street, some crammed a bunch of cinder blocks down in the manholes creating a real problem.
  Underneath and behind the Elk Power building, lines have been crushed and require a major upgrade in short order.
  Grant requests are being applied for to upgrade that just mentioned Log Factory.
  A bunch of locals haul wawa in pick up truck mounted plastic tanks. According to the talk during this meeting, the Town a better way to record who is buying how much wawa. There may be left over $$$ from the Blue Knob wawa line extension project to purchase such a meter to keep check of the haulers.
  In another project, the Maysel Storage Tank project, things have slowed a bit. Mayor Shamblin is trying to get an attorney on Board (get his butt in gear) so property can be acquired to located a new Maysel tank


   Just above, that's Mayor Shamblin during a moment of thought

  To finish off this meeting, the Major uttered something interesting. In years past, in some cases (Arthur Jarrett and Jack Brown for instance), the Mayor did double duty as Town Badge. Because of liability concerns and the real possibility that some druggie or drunk might kick his scrawny arss, Mayor Shamblin has been reluctant to take on the Chief of Police duties.
  Near the very end of this public gathering, Shamblin,   "If I need to, I will be sworn in as Town Badge to do the ATV enforcement."
  That's quite a change of mind and maybe not his best idea to date.
  Did you read thru all this gibberish?
  Now, does it sound like a bunch is going on in the Town of Clay? It should because it is.
  For instance: there's a new restaurant opening on Main Street on Feb 10th; there's a new meat market opening in the old Seneca Grill building sometimg later this Spring; and finally, according to Shamblin, a kayak rental and livery business will be housed in Two Run and is readying to open in early May.
   Sounds to us like, thinking people are getting ready for the new ERTS State Park and tourism $$$ coming June 1st. If we could just get the Farm Store to serve as an anchor store for the 2020 growth spurt.

AW