Council, CAEZ, & CCC
We're putting three
public meeting coverages together in one article. Why? The
Town Council , CAEZ, and County Commission meetings in
April,were short , real short. Here's goes with what we saw
and think we heard.
Town Council held
their once a month gathering on April 6th. Around the big
conference table, all elected officials were present except
Council person Joyce Gibson.
A couple months back, Mitch Deboard from the Elk River Trail Foundation proposed for Council to give up property where the old sewer plant was housed. The Foundation wants ownership so the W Va State Park system could build a maintenance building / central office for the ERTS State Park. During a second presentation, DeBoard said , now, the State wants to buy the land out right .
Back then Council wanted more information on what would be in the contract; included to be a "reverter clause" so Council could have the property back when the land is no longer being used for the State Park; and, Council wanted to sit down and talk with State reps (not just DeBoard) . Seemed reasonable thinking back then.
Fast forward to April 6th, according to Mayor Josh Shamblin, no one has contacted him about anything related to the selling the land parcel.
We left the meeting around 5:45 with the meeting still in progress. IF they did anything else, we don't know about it.
A couple months back, Mitch Deboard from the Elk River Trail Foundation proposed for Council to give up property where the old sewer plant was housed. The Foundation wants ownership so the W Va State Park system could build a maintenance building / central office for the ERTS State Park. During a second presentation, DeBoard said , now, the State wants to buy the land out right .
Back then Council wanted more information on what would be in the contract; included to be a "reverter clause" so Council could have the property back when the land is no longer being used for the State Park; and, Council wanted to sit down and talk with State reps (not just DeBoard) . Seemed reasonable thinking back then.
Fast forward to April 6th, according to Mayor Josh Shamblin, no one has contacted him about anything related to the selling the land parcel.
We left the meeting around 5:45 with the meeting still in progress. IF they did anything else, we don't know about it.
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Central Appalachia
Empowerment Zone (CAEZ) held their first public meeting in at
least 11 months. Substituting for a live meeting, the non
profit agency convened via ZOOM internet service. Those ZOOM
meetings were not open to the public nor properly posted.
On April 6th, the Boardsters gathered at the JG Bradley Campground for their once a month meeting. They had just enough Boardsters present but none from County Clay. AWOL Clayberry Boardsters included: Commissioner Fran King, Connie Kinder (as a private citizen), Linda Rhodes (absent for nearly two years), and Joe Huffman.
Traditionally, their meetings begin with updates from the five counties that make up the agency' service area. For this gathering, they went around the table but no updates were heard. They had nothing to report of any substance.
It's hard to keep stuff going on when an outfit doesn't have a Director. That's been the case for many months. The old Director was Connie Lupardus known to many as Big Lup. A couple feeble mentions have been made to replace Big Lup but little else. There has to be someone to be in charge of any agency in continue. The CAEZ is fumbling due in large part to no leadership at the helm.
CAEZ owns the Bradley Campground in Dundon. It's not a large operation but it's about the only income producing source for the non profit. Up for discussion was alcohol consumption at the campground and lodge building. For the last few years, maybe 4, there has been a list of rules for users of the place. The rules say no alcohol allowed. The big issue is, those rules were drawn up but never OK'd by the Board.
Around the table, everyone agreed, many campers consume while on the premises but there have been no problems, drunk fights, or outrageous behavior. One lady brought up, why have a rule when there's no one available to enforce such a restriction?
The biggest most frequent group to use the place is the Clayberry Mud Runners. The ATV group regularly brings in 100's of riders, campers, paying campers. Those folks are beer drinkers but again, have not caused any real issues. Thinking of the financial bottom line, one lady: Don't be ugly to the mud runners.
No decision was made on changing the policy nor enforcing the current rules.
You can tell when a group crumbles. For the CAEZ, here comes two examples.
One, they haven't had a new project in years. To keep people involved, there has to be something for em to do.
Two, attendance falls apart. For the CAEZ, two years ago, the had to reduce quorum size just to hold a Board meeting.
Here's an example of that second thang.
On April 6th, the Board was suppose to elected new officers. Currently the Board officers are Micky Boggs -Prez; Michael Martin -Vice Prez; Fran King Treasurer; and Linda Rhodes - Secretary. For Ms King, she's only attended one meeting in the last year and none via even ZOOM. Linda Rhodes has been living in Virginia for a longer period of time.
For this year's election, Boggs and Martin agreed to remain in their positions. As for anyone wanting to step up to the plate for Sec, Treasurer, even after some prodding, no one would accept the spots.
They will try to find some warm bodies before the next monthly meeting.
Finally for the CAEZ meeting..... Their campground is located right beside the BC&G RR tracks. Those tracks are scheduled to be rebuilt beginning around June 1st. There are two cabooses setting on the rails near the campground. The CAEZ owns at least one of the unused metal behemoths. With contractors coming soon, both cabooses have to be moved off the rails.
This is April. They don't meet again until the first week of May. Even if they can muster enough $$$ to get the things moved, that will be a tight time schedule. Not moving the old cabooses will cause delays in rebuilding the new rails and trails part of ERTS.
Stay tuned.
On April 6th, the Boardsters gathered at the JG Bradley Campground for their once a month meeting. They had just enough Boardsters present but none from County Clay. AWOL Clayberry Boardsters included: Commissioner Fran King, Connie Kinder (as a private citizen), Linda Rhodes (absent for nearly two years), and Joe Huffman.
Traditionally, their meetings begin with updates from the five counties that make up the agency' service area. For this gathering, they went around the table but no updates were heard. They had nothing to report of any substance.
It's hard to keep stuff going on when an outfit doesn't have a Director. That's been the case for many months. The old Director was Connie Lupardus known to many as Big Lup. A couple feeble mentions have been made to replace Big Lup but little else. There has to be someone to be in charge of any agency in continue. The CAEZ is fumbling due in large part to no leadership at the helm.
CAEZ owns the Bradley Campground in Dundon. It's not a large operation but it's about the only income producing source for the non profit. Up for discussion was alcohol consumption at the campground and lodge building. For the last few years, maybe 4, there has been a list of rules for users of the place. The rules say no alcohol allowed. The big issue is, those rules were drawn up but never OK'd by the Board.
Around the table, everyone agreed, many campers consume while on the premises but there have been no problems, drunk fights, or outrageous behavior. One lady brought up, why have a rule when there's no one available to enforce such a restriction?
The biggest most frequent group to use the place is the Clayberry Mud Runners. The ATV group regularly brings in 100's of riders, campers, paying campers. Those folks are beer drinkers but again, have not caused any real issues. Thinking of the financial bottom line, one lady: Don't be ugly to the mud runners.
No decision was made on changing the policy nor enforcing the current rules.
You can tell when a group crumbles. For the CAEZ, here comes two examples.
One, they haven't had a new project in years. To keep people involved, there has to be something for em to do.
Two, attendance falls apart. For the CAEZ, two years ago, the had to reduce quorum size just to hold a Board meeting.
Here's an example of that second thang.
On April 6th, the Board was suppose to elected new officers. Currently the Board officers are Micky Boggs -Prez; Michael Martin -Vice Prez; Fran King Treasurer; and Linda Rhodes - Secretary. For Ms King, she's only attended one meeting in the last year and none via even ZOOM. Linda Rhodes has been living in Virginia for a longer period of time.
For this year's election, Boggs and Martin agreed to remain in their positions. As for anyone wanting to step up to the plate for Sec, Treasurer, even after some prodding, no one would accept the spots.
They will try to find some warm bodies before the next monthly meeting.
Finally for the CAEZ meeting..... Their campground is located right beside the BC&G RR tracks. Those tracks are scheduled to be rebuilt beginning around June 1st. There are two cabooses setting on the rails near the campground. The CAEZ owns at least one of the unused metal behemoths. With contractors coming soon, both cabooses have to be moved off the rails.
This is April. They don't meet again until the first week of May. Even if they can muster enough $$$ to get the things moved, that will be a tight time schedule. Not moving the old cabooses will cause delays in rebuilding the new rails and trails part of ERTS.
Stay tuned.
----
Terry Martin standing
With all
three Commissioners present, County Commission met in the
Courthouse on April 14th.
They went thru the usual updating for estates without issue.
Terry Martin (see pic) is the guy that holds their hands and guides our local officials thru the rigors of applying for and using Govt funds. Without Martin, all of our elected and appointed officials would be sitting with their thumbs up their collective butts.
For at least a couple decades, residents in the Big Otter / Nebo areas have been trying to gain potable wawa into their neighborhoods. Even with Martin doing the heavy lifting, negotiating different pools of $$$, it takes forever and is frustrating. That may be the reason Martin has little hair left on his head.
Martin was on hand to tell the CCC, there's a new pot of $$$ available, amounting to upwards of $9m, for the Nebo wawa extension. He suggested the application needs to be filled out right away. The due date is in June 2021.
Members of the Clay Co PSD spoke in favor of the application as did the County Commission.
It sounds like the long wait for drinking wawa may be getting shorter. Keep your fingers crossed readers.
There is some Biden $$$$ available to work on the Judicial Annex beside the Courthouse. CCC will look at the contractor list for that project.
They went thru the usual updating for estates without issue.
Terry Martin (see pic) is the guy that holds their hands and guides our local officials thru the rigors of applying for and using Govt funds. Without Martin, all of our elected and appointed officials would be sitting with their thumbs up their collective butts.
For at least a couple decades, residents in the Big Otter / Nebo areas have been trying to gain potable wawa into their neighborhoods. Even with Martin doing the heavy lifting, negotiating different pools of $$$, it takes forever and is frustrating. That may be the reason Martin has little hair left on his head.
Martin was on hand to tell the CCC, there's a new pot of $$$ available, amounting to upwards of $9m, for the Nebo wawa extension. He suggested the application needs to be filled out right away. The due date is in June 2021.
Members of the Clay Co PSD spoke in favor of the application as did the County Commission.
It sounds like the long wait for drinking wawa may be getting shorter. Keep your fingers crossed readers.
There is some Biden $$$$ available to work on the Judicial Annex beside the Courthouse. CCC will look at the contractor list for that project.
Newt Bragg's residence and a great place to open a novelty, craft, store.
Or, maybe even a place to drink a cold beer and gobble down a grease burger.
There was no
mention of the new National Guard Training Center going in at
the old Fola Coal strip mine site. Based on conversations at
an earlier meeting, it seems like the CCC has been left by the
wayside.
We did get an up date on the old Newt Bragg house located at the confluence of the Elk River and Buffalo Creek. According to Commissioner King, the Trail Foundation is no longer going to tear down the "company house" which is along the ERTS trail. They will preserve it. Also, it's official, the State will soon hire a Park Superintendent and two workers. That part about hiring a Super soon, we heard that same message back in Nov with no progress being seen.
We don't understand this but item 16 on the meeting agenda was the purchase of an Emergency Management Vehicle for a mere $44,037.00. The high dollar vehicle is to be funded thru Homeland Security funds. Sure sounds like a lot of money for something we have never had or needed in the last 170 years.
AW
We did get an up date on the old Newt Bragg house located at the confluence of the Elk River and Buffalo Creek. According to Commissioner King, the Trail Foundation is no longer going to tear down the "company house" which is along the ERTS trail. They will preserve it. Also, it's official, the State will soon hire a Park Superintendent and two workers. That part about hiring a Super soon, we heard that same message back in Nov with no progress being seen.
We don't understand this but item 16 on the meeting agenda was the purchase of an Emergency Management Vehicle for a mere $44,037.00. The high dollar vehicle is to be funded thru Homeland Security funds. Sure sounds like a lot of money for something we have never had or needed in the last 170 years.
AW