Comm1-24-02

January 24, 2002
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County Commission Dissolves Authority...Private EMS Takes Ambulance Service
Follow Ups
Did You Know
Clay Development Board Tosses Public
Magistrate Report
Roane PSD Update Water Rates To Go Up Again & More
Water Update
Clay You're Invited to the Fitness Center
Final CCEAA Meeting
Waterloo and Water, Too at CCC
Last Word
Lots of Chatters
Widen Water Update
Travel Expenses 2001
Challenge
Kay's Cooking Cornor

COUNTY COMMISSION DISSOLVES AUTHORITY
PRIVATE EMS TAKES AMBULANCE SERVICE      Another era in Clayberry history came to an end January 22 around 10:45 am. After years of questionable leadership, murky financial dealings and court battles over the public=s right to know about the operation of the Clay County Emergency Ambulance Service, the epoch saga ended.
Posted on the Clay County Commission (CCC) meeting was a quiet little posting that read A #13, Disposition of the Clay County Emergency Ambulance Authority@ followed by, A #14, Creation of Commissioners Ad Hoc Select Committee@. Didn=t sound like much but small words can be deceiving.
     CCC President Mathew Bragg read the motion,@ I Matthew Bragg, a duly elected member of the Clay County Commission, do hereby move that the entity created by the Clay County Commission pursuant to Chapter 7, Article 15, Section 4 of the Code of WV of 1931 as amended, known as the Clay County Emergency Ambulance Authority be dissolved and that this Commission pursuant to the authority granted this Commission in Chapter 7, 15, 4, of the code of WV (1931) as amended, create in its place the Clay County Emergency Ambulance Service Ad Hoc Advisory Committee, comprised of three members to be appointed by the Clay County Commission, which shall have all the power, authority and rights accorded the Commission in its creation of an ambulance service, pursuant Chapter 7,15,4 of the Code of WV (1931), as amended.@
     The Ad Hoc committee will be strictly Aadvisory@ and without regulatory OR operational powers. So who is in charge of the ambulance service now? And what about all the overdue debts owed by the now defunct Clay County Emergency Ambulance Authority (CCEAA) ? First the debts.
     The second major unanimous vote as this motion was read, seconded and passed by Commissioners Tim Butcher, Jimmy Sams, and Bragg. This motion read, @I Matthew Bragg, being a duly elected member of the Clay County Commission, move that, pursuant to the authority vested in this Commission by Chapter 7, Article 15, Section 11 of the Code of WV (1931) as amended, this County Commission do accept and pay the debts of the formerly existent entity known as the Clay County Emergency Ambulance Authority (CCEAA), in a manner that does not imperil the treasury of the County of Clay and to the extent allowed for in the aforementioned Code.... Although the County is expressly exempted in Chapter 7, 15, 14, from liability for the debts of the CCEAA, the Commission recognizes that vendors and employees of the CCEAA provided services and goods in good faith and to the benefit of the citizens of Clay County , and , as such, there exists a moral obligation to address the fiscal matter.@
      Now for the question.... who=s on first now???? The third swing at correcting a long standing and often overlooked and understated problem in the county came with this motion,@ Pursuant to the authority granted to the Clay County Commission in Chapter 7, Article 15, Section 4, of the Code of WV (1931) as amended, all hereby move that the Clay County Commission contract with the WV EMS Technical Support Network Incorporated to engage in the day to day management of Clay County=s emergency Ambulance service.@
     With just three motions, the CCC put itself in debt, some believe, over $117,000.00 and turned the operation of service over to a private, third party management team. EMS is a contractor for the WV Dept. of Health and Human Resources. The company has regulatory and licensing powers in this state. Just four weeks ago EMS, under the direction of Denny Nurkiewicz, was ready to shut down the service and was asked by the CCC to audit the finances of the ambulance service as well as investigate quality of care issues.
As for WV EMS, Charleston papers reported that this private agency accepted a short term contract to provide advocate services for people with mental disabilities on a state wide basis. Before WV EMS, the disabled were represented by WV Advocates, Inc. Since taking charge of the program, EMS has hired six former employees of WV Advocates and those six are now working without health insurance as independent contractors. The contract with WV Advocates was worth $548,000.00 per year.
     As of Thursday, January 24, 3:00 pm, the formal contract to use EMS to operate the Clay County Ambulance Service has not been signed and attorneys are now fine tuning the language of the deal. According to Assistant Prosecutor Barbara Schamberger, who is representing the CCC in the matter, it is anticipated that the contract will be formalized early next week. As for the cost of EMS operating the local ambulance service in the county, Ms Schamberger was Anot comfortable@ with announcing the fee but did advance that the fee would be Astandard@. Ms Schamberger is in charge of negotiating the contract for the County Commission.
Look for other changes in the near future as well. It is anticipated that the service will undergo a name change making it a quasi-public agency. B.J. Willis from EMS assumed operation of Clay Ambulance immediately after the January 22 CCC meeting.
Find full details of the change of power from public to private in coverage of the CCC meeting. Public to private? Yep. When asked about oversight, public input, etc., Mr. Nurkiewicz made it clear that EMS was in charge, @This is not a democracy...@ . As to answering to the public, Nurkiewicz declined answering peanut gallery questions and only did so when the CCC asked him directly.
It=s a new day in Clayberry.

AW

Follow Ups

     Mention was recently made in this paper that bunches of $ were doled out by the Ambulance Authority for Christmas Bonuses. $12,500.00 for one year for instance. Retired Ambulance Service Director Jackie Pierson was also mentioned. Ms Pierson rebutted those statements and said it was NOT $12,500.00 that year but rather just $9,514.83. That she did get a $3000.00 Aone time season incremental adjustment@ ( Christmas Bonus) in 1998 but the $5000.00 the next year was NOT a Awhatever you call it@ but rather a permanent raise.
     During the last Central Appalachia Empowerment Zone (CAEZ) meeting, Director Jerry Sizemore was told to pursue Filcon Manufacturing and the way past due CAEZ loan. Sizemore revealed that Filcon owner Manfred Kuentzer had asked for some Atime@ before depositing a $2000.00 interest payment check on the CAEZ loan. Kuentzer, on Dec. 4, asked for Sizemore not to deposit the check until @he could transfer some funds.@ Sizemore held the check for more than a month.
     Since the last edition of this journal, the check was finally deposited, and as many knew it would, bounced from wall to wall. The check was taken to Magistrate Court and Kuentzer made good on the demand Jan 18, 2002. An interesting note: according to State Code 61-3-39a, a check cannot be collected on if the person accepting the check knew ahead of time the check was worthless or the person asked for the check to be held for a period of time. Seems the CAEZ got lucky this time.

??? DID YOU KNOW ???

Great men tell you how to get where you’re going, and greater men take you there.

Fear is a cage where you’re locked up, faith is the key to freedom.

130 AIDs patients currently receive care at CAMC.

Residential utility rates for electricity, natural gas, telephone and water jumped 6.6 percent in 2001, the highest increase in 15 years.

Currently, 300 residents are registered with the state’s hemophilia program.

According to a survey done for the Department of Human Services, 3.7 percent of high school seniors have used steroids at some point in their lives.

Concussions and other head injuries in early childhood may significantly raise the risk of depression decades later.

Barnum’s Animal Crackers are 100 years old this year.

There are 43 million Americans with some form of arthritis.

Over 53 percent of West Virginia bears killed in 2000 were yearlings.

In 1910 black Americans owned 15 million acres of farmland, nearly all of it in the South.

Cancer survival rates have reached an all time high, with two of every three patients now living at least five years after being diagnosed.

West Virginia University will spend $11.2 million to create more than 1000 new parking spaces on it’s campuses during the next five years.

Based on state and federal records, 9,976 prohibited gun buyers nationwide, including 270 in West Virginia, obtained a gun because of faulty record keeping.

Only 15 percent of West Virginia’s “final arrest deposition records” are available online.

26,325 inmates in state and federal prisons on gun related charges said they had spent at least one night in a mental health facility.

There were 60 cases classified as hate crimes committed in 2000.

Contentment is found in wanting what you have, not in what you want.

Forest fires caused more than $22 million in damage last year.

Thirty one teachers from West Virginia have been certified by the National Board for Professional Teachers Standards, 79 more are working on certification.

LMM

CLAY DEVELOPMENT BOARD TOSSES PUBLIC

     One of this county=s most controversial social service providers again made news as they removed members of the news media from the meeting. Clay Development Corporation (CDC) Board of Directors held their regular monthly meeting January 15 at 1:00 pm in their Main Street Clay office.
     Just prior to the 1:00 pm opening, Terri Kerns, Lindy Myers and Andy Waddell, all reporters for the independent newspaper, The Communicator, entered the conference room. Chairman of the Board Earnie Sirk, made it immediately clear, he wanted no part of media coverage for the organization. Sirk told the three that Clay Development was a private corporation and AGO ON, GET OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!@ Kerns, a first time attendee of the Board meeting, attempted to ask a question. No deal!! With barely a quorum in place, Sirk went on a tirade and ended with,@ YOU ARE TRYING TO FORCE YOURSELF IN WHERE YOU=RE NOT WELCOME!!!!!@ Again and for a third time Kerns tried to ask a question. Sirk was not listening to anything about: Is the ban for all media?; Is the ban for all members of the public?, etc. Chair Sirk stated that the group had banned the      Communicator forever from being in the CDC building and from attending Board meetings.
     Under threats of police intervention, Kerns and Myers left the premises. Waddell stayed. The Board members sat quietly
     Sirk asked if Waddell was leaving and the response was in the negative. At 1:00 pm Sirk left the room and said he was calling the Sheriff. A few minutes later he reemerged and stated ,@ The Sheriff said he didn=t know if he could do that!@ CDC secretary Janet Fitzwater suggested that they just go into executive session and do everything in secret. Board member Gary Whaling, during the vote to go secret, commented that the group had nothing to hide and the press should be a part of the meeting. With no one else speaking up, Sirk commented that as a general member , Waddell was not allowed to Atear down@ the CDC in public and all he does is Atell lies against us!!@ Sirk, A EVERYTHING HE WRITES IS RUMOR!!....HE MISQUOTES THIS MEETING!!.... NEVER TOLD A THING ACCOMPLISHED, SHOW ME ONE THING!!!!!! ..... ANDY WADDELL DECIDES TO PRINT EVERY PIECE OF GARBAGE!!!!!. HE HAS EVERY AGENCY INVESTIGATING US!!!!!!!!....@
     As the others sat quietly, Whaling came back with: the Communicator does Ashade@ the story but doesn=t lie. Ms Fitzwater read from CDC bylaws, and after doing so, said that Waddell does not Afurther= the CDC. Whaling, AI agree, but still.... We=ve nothing to hide!@ Fitzwater,@ He twists and hurts the CDC@ Whaling replied that he was there to be a part of the organization and, AHe makes us more straight..@
Sirk was adamant and came back with statements that the Communicator was there to just misquote, ‘Waddell fought to get copies of our payroll’, ‘let him get info from the street’, etc., and, AARE WE HERE TO SELL HIM PAPERS???!@ Whaling, AHe has raked me across the coals... I still think the press should be present...@ Fitzwater, AHe=s writing opinions!!@ Sirk,@.... HE=S TORE US ALL TO PIECES... I DON=T WANT ANDY WADDELL AROUND THIS PLACE.. HE=S COUNTY CRITIC!!!... LET HIM TRASH.... IT=S AN OLE SH** PAPER!!!!!!!!... MAKE UP SOMETHING, YOU DON=T NEED TO BE HERE...@
     Sirk told the group they were now in executive session and would Waddell NOW leave? Waddell asked why they weren=t following the posted agenda. Sirk,@.. At this time I adjourn this meeting for 30 minutes..... I HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THIS!!!.... THIS IS AWFUL, WE CAN=T EVEN HAVE A MEETING!!!..@ Waddell, @Would you like to talk about this?@ Sirk, ANOOOOOO YOU=RE ONLY HERE TO CAUSE.... I MIGHT HAVE TO CALL 911 TO GET THE STATE POLICE HERE!!!!!@ Sirk and Fitzwater went into a side room and closed the door. CDC Director Betty Stalnaker made some last minute copies. Others left the room.
     Now just 15 minutes into the meeting, from behind the closed side room door entered Trooper Travis Foreman. Sirk,@ He=s the one in the red coat!@ Foreman,@ You=ll have to leave Andy.@ Waddell asked if the Trooper did full body cavity searches during an arrest? Foreman,@That=s not my job.@
     Noticing the size of Foreman=s hands , Waddell left the meeting. Sirk said he would be glad to do the body cavity search. Waddell asked him if he would do it in public or executive session.
As for what the CDC bylaws say and if the public may attend board meetings, comes the following from Section 9, PUBLIC MEETINGS, AAll meetings of the Board of Directors shall be open to the public, except that, the discretion of the Board, a closed meeting may be held when the matters under discussion might adversely affect the character, reputation, or legal rights of an employee or officer of the Corporation or an intruption (yelp that=s how they spelled it at CDC!) by an individual present.@ In section 3 of the bylaws, mention is made that Anotice of all membership meetings are published in all possible media serving the county.@
     From Oliver Wendell Holmes comes this quote,@ You never need think you can turn over any falsehood without a terrible squirming and scattering of the horrid little population that dwells under it.

MAGISTRATE REPORT

Felony:01/10/02: Bailey - Paul A. Holcomb, (09/27/01) Poss./Delivery of controlled substance, preliminary hearing waived to the Grand Jury in the Circuit Court of Clay County.
01/15/02: Delk - Marina Lanham, (12/19/01) Poss./Intent to deliver controlled substance, probable cause found, bound to Circuit Court; Bailey - Andy N. Moore, (12/24/01) Wanton endangerment with firearm, joint motion for open docket; leave case open.
01/18/02: Bailey - Jonathan D. Cook, (12/24/01) Aggravated/Non-aggravated robbery, continued by state to 01/25/02.
Misdemeanor:
11/29/01: John Lane - John A. Bishop, Hunting without permission, ROB, trial set.
01/05/02: Foreman - Gregory Anderson, DUI, driving suspended, and defective registration light - arrested, ROB, pled no contest 01/16, assessed fine, costs, and 24 hours jail.
01/11/02: Belt - Mikel Monroe Neal II, DUI, arrested, ROB; Ellyson - Bufford Brown, consumption of premises, ROB; Robert E. Wright (DOH) - Manual Auxier, owner, 93,200 lb. overweight, bond.
01/13/02: Guthrie - Linda R. Caldwell, possession less than 15 gms. marijuana, placed on 6 mos. probation on 01/14.
01/16/02: Guthrie - JoAnn ???? (of Procious), (12/17/01) warrant for battery, motion to dismiss granted.
01/17/02: Slack - Lyle Burns, trespassing, summons sent.
Civil:
01/07/02: Don Moore - Rick and Sharon Hanshaw, wrongful occupation, subpoena; David Samples - Cindy Dotson, ? , subpoena.
01/11/02: R. Brooks Legg, Jr. DDS - Cathy Stutler, Roger L. Williams, Michael Claypool, and Shane David Koch, all for money due, subpoenas.
01/12/02: Clyde Myers - Elizabeth Catts, money due.
01/15/02: Jeffrey Neff - Johnny Neff, money due, subpoena.
01/16/02: David Pierson, DBA Pierson Lumber - Northwest Integrated Inc., money due, out of county process.
01/17/02: William Adkins - Brandon Agner, wrongful occupation, subpoena.
Worthless Checks:
01/09/02: Jerry Sizemore - Manferd Kuentzer, $2000.00, notice issued.
Traffic Citations:
12/21/01: Sheriff=s Dept. - Ophelia Coats, failure to maintain right and no POI.
12/29/01: Sheriff=s Dept. - John Andy Akers, speeding.
12/31/01: Sheriff=s Dept. - Crystal Killingsworth, speeding.
01/01/02: State Police - Laura Hanna, speeding.
01/04/02: W. Va. Dept. of Highways (DOH) - Charles E. Auxier, overweight, overlength, and overwidth; DOH - Herbert O. Ball, overweight, overlength, overwidth, and operator=s; DOH - Harold P. Taylor, overweight, overwidth, and overlength; Sheriff=s Dept. - Herbert O. Ball, no POI and registration violations.
01/05/02: Sheriff=s Dept. - Harry E. Miller Jr., no insurance and failure to maintain control.
01/11/02: Sheriff=s Dept. - Mikel Monroe Neal, DUI.
01/13/02: State Police - Linda R. Caldwell, defective equipment and possession less than 15 gms. marijuana.

ROANE PSD UPDATE WATER RATES TO GO UP AGAIN AND MORE!

     Clay/Roane PSD met in regular session January 10 at the Procious water plant with board members Lefty Summers, T.G. Cruickshank, Garrett Samples, Roy Ellis, and Gary Whaling present. The tiny office was packed with Boardsters and several from the peanut gallery. Also in attendance was WV PSC rep Jim Weimer and engineer Jim Hildreth. Minor stuff, bills paid, minutes approved, blah, blah , blah.
     The Board stated that worker Matt Mullins had been rough riding the PSD truck and would no longer be allowed to drive it since he is not covered by the insurance provider. Boardster Whaling,@...That boy is not an employee....We don=t need anymore trouble now.. that truck doesn=t need rough handling..@ Mr. Ellis,@ The boy can=t drive it period.@
      Weimer was there to provide new info and get the group up to date on the water line extension in Roane County. Weimer, in a nutshell: you need to get more data (right of ways) collected to get the Amma Left Hand project started quickly; the project needs to be started before Clay/Roane can be merged into a new Regional PSD; the Punkin Ridge water line extension might have to be left off the Amma project in order for the project to get moving; and he kept mentioning that Athis is a compressed time period@.
Mr. Hildruth said he had studied the Punkin extension and felt it was a doable project but the costs would be around $500,000.00. From the Punkin Ridge peanut gallery came words on the need for the extension and how they have waited 20 years for water and that=s with the plant just a few miles away from their homes. Weimer pushed for not stalling the almost ready to go Amma project by adding on the Punkin Ridge folks. Weimer did say that MAYBE , at the end of the Amma project, and if there are any $ left over, MAYBE the Punkin Ridge residents could get part of their needs met. Weimer,@ The hope is slim...@
     And now the good stuff readers. Mr. Weimer told the assembled that the long standing water moratorium had been lifted weeks ago. From all in attendance came, @Noooo Wayyyyyy.@ Weimer, AThe moratorium was lifted!@ While others said that they were told the moratorium was still in place as late as that week, Weimer replied that when the Town of Clay agreed to supply Clay/Roane water, the moratorium was over and new taps can be set for new water service. Readers, are you drinking frog pee?? Go sign up for water service NOW!
     And now more goodies. First mention was made that a PSC OK=d loan to purchase high tech water meters that would reduce water loss and reduce labor costs associated with reading meters, had been changed. According to Weimer, the $50,000.00 ( there=s only $30,000.00 left now since the PSD has been dipping into the loan to pay routine operating costs for months) loan can now be used to install water taps and buy the much cheaper , labor intensive, old style water meters. Weimer said the Board had asked the WV PSC to make the change. According to PSD meeting minutes and those in attendance, the Clay/Roane PSD never voted to do any such a thing!!. Boardster Gary Whaling got a little steamed up during the discussion with, A Who wrote the letter?????.. How far back was this??????@ Chair Cruickshank, AThree months ago.@ Clerk Trina Neff told all that she didn=t remember any such vote and the minutes= record book did not reflect such a motion, Neff,@ It=s not in our minutes..@ Whaling,@ I borrowed the money to upgrade our meters!@ Translation: another one sneaked by. Remember, that rate increase customers got billed for last June was to pay for the high tech meters that would reduce water loss!
     And And And! First mention was made public that the Clay Roane PSD had put in for another RATE INCREASE!!!!!! And again the Board looked as though it was the first they=d heard of it! Weimer,@ The Procious rate is still not right.@ It appears that Procious service area customers will get a rate increase of around $2.70 per month added on their bills in the near future if not HIGHER! Cruickshank said no vote was need to apply for the rate increase , that it was just a procedural thing and a part of the two rate increases approved for Procious customers last summer.
     And then, back to the issue of a now laid off water meter reader that had not been reading meters for years and the resulting big time water losses and overcharges of customers when the discovery was made two months ago when a new meter reader was hired. Opening the discussion on huge revenues losses due to the Ano reads for years@. Ms Deel, ACould this be because the meters weren=t being read???@ Operator Jennifer Traub commented that the problem was wide spread through out the entire system. With the Board acting like this was the first time they had heard of the issue, mention was made that some customers had been under charged for years while others had been overcharged a like period of time. One elderly customer will now get free water for the next four years as a result of the over charges. Still no decisions on getting the dollars back for the undercharges.
     And finally, one last cutey... As has been known for years, Queen Shoals PSD, which buys water from Clay Roane PSD, has been adding new water taps for years even with the water moratorium in place. To document that, last month Queen Shoals PSD bought an additional 182,000 gallons of water to meet the needs of their new customers. This comes on the heels of a WV PSC investigation just three months back that showed no new customer hook ups had been done by Queen Shoals PSD.
Sounds like we need WV EMS and BJ Willis to operate the PSDs in the county.

WATER UPDATE

     During January 2002 two ‘boil water orders’ (BWO) were issued in Clay County. As reported in the last edition of this paper, the town of Clay first issued the order after smelly, brown, nasty water came from a few taps in the Pisguah Ridge area of the town near the sewer plant. That order was rescinded January 10. After receiving ‘bad water’ telephone calls from its customers, Clay County PSD issued a BWO for the Hartland/Bickmore area which was rescinded January 23, 2002. Clay County PSD buys water from the town.
So what happened? For official word on the matter, the following letter was received at Town Hall January 20 from the WV Dept. of Health and Human Resources and signed by Michael W. Koch from the Environmental Engineering Division
     On Jan 8,2002, this office received word from Ms Teresa Morton, Clay County Health Dept. Sanitarian, who reported she had received several calls concerning poor quality of tap water in the community of Pisquah Hill Road and vicinity. According to Ms Morton, the poor water quality became evident sometime during the morning of Sunday January 6, 2002. When the Clay Water Dept. was first notified of the problem, it was assumed that a low water level in the main tank was causing the problem. Effort was made to replenish the tank as quickly as possible while lines were being flushed. When the incident was reported to my supervisor, J. D. Douglas, he quickly surmised that the problem could not have been with the tank since the affected area was in an isolated location. His first thought was that a line had frozen and broke during the recent cold weather and a cross connection was somehow created. Mr. Douglas assigned the complaint investigation to me since I have a sanitary survey of the system in progress.
I made arrangements to meet Ms Morton and arrived at her office on Wednesday, January 9, 2002 at 9 am. She showed me samples of the water taken from the taps of three Clay Water Dept. customers at dates and times indicated:
     S Graham - 1/6/02, 10:30 am....... Stephanie Tanner - 1/8/02, time unknown... Teresa Doss - 1/8/02, 2:30 pm.
The Tanner sample appeared to be the worst case. The sample was a light brown, viscous, gluey like solution, sticky and slimy to touch, possibly some sort of polymer. The Doss sample was mostly clear with a small amount of contaminate settled into the bottom of the sample container. The Graham sample fell in the mid range of the other two samples. Ms Morton and I visited the Tanner residence at 9:30 am, the same day. I took the samples to test for bacteria and mineral content from the kitchen sink. I am awaiting test results from the laboratory. I do not anticipate poor results since the lines had been flushed and the water was running clear at the time. Also, the total chlorine residual was about 3.5 milligram per liter, the pH measured 6.9. While I was taking the samples, one of the residents, Mr. Tim Gibson, shared with me that he had been experiencing problems with a leaky water meter which feeds his house. He mentioned that Terry Traub from the Clay Water Dept. had been there several times, and according to Mr. Gibson, was unable to correct the problem. Subsequently, Mr. Gibson said he decided to disconnect the meter from the service side of the line since he did not have a valve on the customer side in order to prevent water from running down under the house.
     Later that morning, I visited the water plant where Dwana Murphy, the Clay Water Dept. office manager, confirmed that the problem became evident on Sunday, January 6, 2002. That is the day that Ms Murphy happened to be visiting a relative in the same neighborhood as the Tanner residence and noted a nasty dirty water at about 1 pm. I then contacted Terry Traub by telephone. Mr. Traub maintains the distribution system. He told me that he had visited the Tanner residence on January 4 and discovered Mr. Gibson disconnecting the meter. Mr. Traub told Mr. Gibson that he should not be tampering with the meter, then, Mr. Taub tightened all the connections. Everything appeared to be fine. On January 5, Mr. Traub returned to the site and found that the meter had been completely disconnected and the water was shooting over the hill with the service line in a pit. Mr. Traub reconnected the meter but did not provide service to the Tanner residence due to a problem with the customer=s service line. Between the time Mr. Traub reconnected the meter and at 10:30 am, January 6, Mr. Gibson disconnected the meter again. On January 7 when Mr. Traub responded to the residence on yet another service call, Mr. Gibson admitted to Mr. Traub that he had disconnected the meter due to a frozen water line.
     I suspect the dirty water may have resulted after Mr. Gibson disconnected the service line from the meter. If the open line came into contact with contaminated surface runoff accumulation in the pit containing the open line, a cross connection could have been, and probably was, created. A cross connection is defined as a point where the potable water supply is connected directly to a source of non potable substance apart from the water system. At some point in time, a negative pressure most probably developed in the line causing a reverse flow. A negative pressure can be caused by a number of circumstances: Someone flushing lines somewhere else in the system using a fire hydrant, a fire call that required the use of the hydrant, a line break at another location, a pressure reduction due to water tank rapid draw down, or activation of transfer pumps which pump water into another system such as the Clay county PSD. A negative pressure could have caused the contaminated water in the pit to be back siphoned into the distribution system and ultimately dispensed at the consumer=s tap. If my suspicions are correct, then Mr. Gibson may be guilty of a misdemeanor, at the very least, according to State law.
     The State Cross Connection and Backflow Prevention Rule, Section 3.1 states that ANo person shall install or maintain a cross connection between a public water supply system... and any other source whereby non potable water or other contaminating substances may enter the public water supply system.@ Section 11.0 further states AAny person who violates any provision of these regulations... shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction be punished by a fine of not more that $200.00 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both fine and imprisonment as provided in Chapter 16, Article 1, Section 20 of the Public Health Laws of WV, WV code.@ You may also want to contact the WV PSC to determine if any of their laws have been violated with regards to unauthorized persons tampering with a utility meter.
     I was notified on January 11,2002 that the Clay County PSD Bickmore extension, which purchases water from the Clay Water Dept., also experienced problems with muddy water and issued a boil water notice as a result. Obviously, more than one water system has been effected by the contaminated water apparently resulting from the possibly careless, irresponsible action of Mr. Gibson. Local schools, businesses and residents have been placed at risk and may have incurred significant expense possibly due to this one act.
     I recommend that you have someone investigated this incident from a legal perspective to determine if criminal charges can or should be brought against anyone suspected of any wrongdoing. I applaud the Clay Water Dept. personnel for their quick reaction to this potentially dangerous situation. As far as I can see, they did everything right. Hat off! If you have any questions, you may contact me at 304-722-011.

Clay, You=re Invited To the Fitness Center!

     Hello Clay County citizens! We would like to reintroduce you to one of your community buildings - the Clay County Fitness Center, located next to Clay County High School. Going into our fourth year, some people are still surprised when we mention that we are here. Someone commented recently that they=d heard we are only here for the high school. Absolutely not! We are here for public use.
     Our rates are very reasonable, there are group rates, and, specials now and then. Monthly rates are $17.00 per adult, $10.00 for students (high school or college), and we have discounts on families and for groups (businesses). The Fitness Center is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We close early on Fridays as we share the parking lot with the high school, and most school sporting events and activities are scheduled for that night. We are closed Saturdays and Sundays because we have very few people who wish to regularly use the Center on those days, and it=s not financially feasible at this time, as we loose money on operation costs.
     Equipment at the Fitness Center is up to date. We have a large aerobic room which we rent, currently being used by the Clay Cadets, Karate, and wrestlers through out the week. And, by the way - Clay Cadets are looking for girls ages 3 years through high school to join and learn the basics of baton twirling. They meet every week on Monday nights from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. ; the Karate class meets every Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and children ages 4 to 5 participate depending on their ability to pay attention. Teachers are very patient, and we have several young ones, as well as adults and young people. The cost for both activities is very reasonable.
     The Clay Fitness Center is a well managed and clean facility. Please come and take advantage of this nice asset to Clay County. What do you have to loose except a few unwanted pounds? There is so much to gain - self esteem, self confidence, and a healthier life style. We will do our best to help you reach your reasonable goals.
     So, come on down and see what we have to offer you!

FINAL CCEAA MEETING

     For years, almost 7 to be exact, the Clay County Emergency Ambulance Authority (CCEAA) exploits have provided readers of this publication with some of the most notorious reading. At times, readers would call and ask,@ Did they really do that? I can=t believe they could be that dumb!@ Whether it was yelling and screaming, the beating of their fists on the table, cover ups, impulsive Christmas bonuses and other pay raises,.... well, it was all true. Of course what made it so enjoyable was the quick to go spastic leadership that often left the meetings with blue neck veins a popping as they headed for high blood pressure medicine.
      With the motions made by the County Commission January 22, this will be the final installment of the undomesticated and often reckless Commission appointed group of public servants.
     Clay County=s Emergency Ambulance Authority (CCEAA) met in regular session January 21, 6 pm at the Health Dept. building on Main Street, Clayberry. Present: Chair Bob Ore and members Arlie Fulks, Gene King, Fran King, Jimmy Sams, Harald Fields, and Larry Cole. The chairs were filled with peanutsters .
     NOTE: this meeting was held the night before the AWaterloo@ at the January 22 County Commission meeting, and although all the members knew they were to be put out to pasture the next morning, no mention was made to the assembled!
     Kent Stewart made a presentation on how his private company could reduce Workman=s Comp costs for the group and get long time compensation clients off the roles and back to a job. No decisions
     As for the money situation, book keeper Marie Haynes reported that just $54,675.00 had been billed this month. Member Cole did some quick ciphering and determined that the CCEAA would realize around $17,000.00 of that amount. With CCEAA Treasurer Fran King reporting that the long awaited $20,000.00 Budget Digest grant is still held up, the PEIA bill is $7,900.00, payroll is just two days away, they have but just $12,000.00 or so, Fran,@ We are financially embarrassed again.@ Harald Fields, AWe=re in deep doo doo!@
     Supervisor Cookie Johnson reported that Elk Power Company had donated $5000.00 to the service as well as another $1000.00 that came from the in house CPR committee.
     Discussion turned to reopening the Lizemore Ambulance Sub Station as Chair Ore had promised two weeks earlier. Bob Mullins from that end of the county made a presentation showing the great need for resuming the operation due to the number of revenue producing runs already made and the number of volunteers willing to donate to the service. Fields commented that he didn=t think the CCEAA had the funds to reopen the Big Otter station two weeks earlier , Fields,@ I didn=t think we had the financing for Big Otter...If one station is up, then the other should be... We weren=t thinking straight putting Big Otter back. We=ve been loosening our belts again!.. They [Lizemore] are entitled to it if anyone else is!!!!!@ Motion was made to table the reopening. Ms Haynes told the Board that Clay Ambulance is not currently providing transport service for Laurel Nursing home. Translation: Some other company is getting the business and getting paid for it.
     As for the incident brought to the CCEAA two weeks ago over a long delay in getting a unit to a choking infant, 911 Director Paige Willis reported that the response time was about 30 minutes and not 60 minutes as Mr. Samples had thought.
A strong push was made by employee Mary Hanshaw to get a fair shake on holiday pay, something resembling what other county employees garner... No deal. Hanshaw,@ We get punished for working holidays..@ Fran,@ That=s not much compensation..@
As for the issue of employees receiving too much pay during the recent holidays... the ball has swung the other way. Now, and according to Ms King, employees have been shorted for the last pay period.
     Rounding out the night was discussion on throwing out the Press during meetings ( Fields commented,@ If the Board is doing anything they don=t want in the paper, tell me, I=ll leave!@) and, is the CCEAA still providing dispatchers with less than EMT credentials? Some said Yes while others said No.
Go figure, readers. Sad to say, the reporting on CCEAA is now over.

WATERLOO AND WATER, TOO AT CCC

     With Commissioners Tim Butcher, Jimmy Sams, and CCC President Matthew Bragg present and every pew packed tight, the Clay County Commission opened their January 22 meeting with prayer offered by Darius Arnold. And, yes, ex Commissioner Ronnie Haynes was in attendance! Although lots of stuff was covered during the public gathering, there were two hot button newsworthy topics.
     First the issue of no water service in the Punkin Ridge area of the county. With Melissa Postelwaite on the agenda, the discussion was lively to say the least and at times, contentious. The Punkin Ridge delegation has attended recent meetings of the local PSD and Commission meetings. To date, little more than lip service has been given. Consensus of the group, AWe want our water!@ With Commissioner Sams hailing from that side of the county and having Acity water@, Sams became the man in the hot seat. Sams tried to explain that engineer Jim Hildruth was on the project. From the gallery came,@Weimer said it might not fly!... Where is the water going to in Roane County?...You should have gottin= us water years ago!.. It=s not right to put water in Roane County and we=re three miles from the water plant!!@
     Sams made mention that such projects take time to come together, etc. The crowd continued,@ Weimer ain=t going to do anything.... We=ve been done wrong long enough!!... You [CCC] were invited to the PSD meeting, You didn=t come, NONE of YOU!... They give us the run around... They broke moratorium by giving water to Jeff Davis!!@ Sams, AThe WV PSC did that.@ As to all the well known county wide misdeeds, Bragg,@ We inherited that problem..@
     Bob Deems seemed to sum up the frustration of the group with,@ You all could help us get water... You=re ignoring us and going on to bigger plans!.... We don=t get nothing... You got water your way..... We should have been there first!@ Sams didn=t help himself much when he responded ,@ It=s not our fault.... I=ve asked Jim Hildruth, Romano to put on the project,.. That=s all I can do... I=ve talked to them a lot... I=ve called them!@ Bragg agreed to make more phone calls. Butcher,@ Its one thing and then another.. Weimer is assigned to getting the Project done....@
     And then Athena (County Clerk Judy Moore) spoke up with wisdom. Moore told the group that one of the first things they have to do is fill out an Infrastructure Council application before they can be considered for any Small Cities Block Grant application and that she had sent a letter to the local PSD=s saying just that.
A pause. Then back to the vocal time....
     Mention made of how funding for the Punkin Ridge water had been pulled and redirected to politicians= land. Bragg,@ I can=t help what they did, that was before I was even born!@ Butcher announced that funding for both the Nebo water project and the Lizemore Fire Dept. building had been denied. From the gallery,@ All we can do is wait????.. You=re sending our water to Roane County.. We just want something done! .. This has been screwed up for years!.... They just want us to shut our mouths!”
     No decisions, no solutions, and the Punkin folks are still without water service in 2002.
     Now for the second issue of meeting, the struggling Clay Ambulance Service. As you have read on the front page, the Ambulance Authority (CCEAA) was dissolved , the CCC assumed all debt of the CCEAA, and EMS from Charleston will now operate the service for the county. But now some details. From Big Otter, Marge Bragg brought up serious, continuing concerns over the Ambulance Service continuing to provide medically unnecessary transports at Laurel Nursing Home. Laurel is a for profit business based in Canada. Bragg felt that documentation must be fraudulent to allow such transports to exist. Bragg brought the CCC up to date on what she had witnessed at Laurel and asked the CCC to step in and not allow the Ambulance Service to fold while A Laurel can make $2 million a year in profit in Clay County....; it=s been a free ride for years....
     This going around and around, no one has taken responsibility..@ As to continuing the CCEAA, Bragg,@ Presently, it=s not workable.@ Asst. Prosecutor Barbara Schamberger,@.... essentially, the CCEAA has crashed fiscally.@ Schamberger said they would do whatever is necessary to save the service. Translation: outside third party management.
     CCC appointed Harald Fields, Fran King, and Jimmy Sams to the strictly Aadvisory@ Ad Hoc committee for the Ambulance Service.
     From the EMS company, Denny Nurkiewicz told the Commission: they will begin a unit/hour study on which units are run and where; they will begin a review of the finances; Jerry Kyle will work with the CCC; they are preparing the transition list of things to do; they have a person ready to be in charge; and, the contract to give up the operation to WV EMS is ready for signatures. With the vote just minutes earlier by the CCC, EMS took charge of the Ambulance Service immediately. Mr. N said there would not be a disruption of service and the current staff would remain.
Now here=s one to watch readers. Many in the peanut gallery asked serious, important questions concerning the new deal. Mr. N made it very clear that he nor his company reported to the public and that THEY were in charge now. When asked who would be in charge of the local operation, Mr. N.,@ It=s not appropriate to respond to the public.@ Only after the same question came from the front desk did Mr. N make public that B.J. Willis will be in charge of the operation.
     As to the powers of the Ad Hoc committee, Schamberger responded that they will Amake recommendations only@ to EMS and the county is entrusting EMS Awith our lives essentially..@
As for the debt the CCC had just assumed, no one had a clue with EMS mum on the subject. No mention of how much EMS will be paid for their work either. Does B.J. Willis report to the CCC? Again, no answer, with Schamberger commenting that they will operate according to the contract.
To make it crystal clear that this county has no say in what or how WV EMS operates the Clay County Ambulance Service, Marge Bragg asked about public input, dispelling gossip and the like. The well spoken Mr. Nurkeiwicz=s response was chilling, Mr. N., @This is not a democracy, you have no vote on what we do. We will exercise authority...@ As to whether there would be a public hearing or if they are interested in public input.... the answer: No.

Whether this is the tough medicine needed in our county to sustain an emergency ambulance service or whether it is just one more bad turn in the road for the county..... time will tell. It is now out of the hands of the people that supply the money, you and me.

LAST WORD

     Just briefly, the Clay Regional PSD Advisory Board met Jan 22. Highlights included: according to WV PSC reps., it is unlikely that the new water plant could be under contract until sometime in 2003; after months and months of pushing, the PSC is working to get a water connection for Clay Roane PSD from Clover PSD; the WV PSC reps were reminded that some residents in the Lizemore area had already paid their water @tap@ fees three times; the process has been stalled since Sept. 2001 due to the local PSD=s not having audits completed; and, Jim Weimer commented that his name had been disparaged during this time and there has been lot=s of misinformation about the plant and another planned water projects.
     And And And, as a strictly wild guess, Mr. Jim Weimer speculated that town water rates may raise to $33 to $34 per month for water. Council person Okey Burroughs responded,@ Residents are going to move out!!! We can=t afford that!@ Burroughs was later told that figure did NOT include the sewer plant fees. And still later, the group was told the water rates could be around $38.00 per month to start Burroughs,@ Instead of adding customers, THEY WILL BE LEAVING!!@.
     Commissioner Bragg suggested that instead of building the new water plant that they instead buy water from the Summersville plant. From the PSC’s Jerry Bakker,@ That=s not a bad idea..@ Wanda Chambers,@...and leave us alone..@ Mr. Weimer spoke against changing the existing plans and mentioned something about the project being carved in stone. Leonard Williams reminded all that just last summer, the WV Health Dept. boys all said the existing water plant was bad, bad, bad, and now all of a sudden, it=s just fine for adding on a bunch of new customers for the many years it will take to get another plant constructed.

NOTE: after the meeting was another Aget together@ between the PSC and town leaders. Sources close indicate the town made it very clear that the town did NOT need another plant [like the sewer plant] to pay debt service on. Watch for another meeting with the town to pop up in the near future.	More as we get it readers.
				AW

CHATTERS

     Dear Communicator editor and staff,
     My name is Chris Jarrett. Yep, that's right, Jarrett. Son of the famous (infamous?) Arthur Jarrett, the newly crowned Mayor who so often adorns the pages of your fine publication. No, that wasn't sarcasm. The Communicator is a fine publication and I eagerly await my monthly copy. I would like the opportunity to express my views on a couple of issues which have recently been written about extensively.
First and foremost your new Mayor. Now I fully realize that my views will be construed as prejudiced, as well they should be. He is, after all, my father. However, I happen to know without a doubt that he cares deeply about the issues and people of the town of Clay and will do his level best to take care of both. How do I know this? I talk to him. Our weekly phone conversations usually begin with a perfunctory "Hi, how ya doin'?" and then he fills me in on the doings of the town and its people. He speaks passionately and with conviction. Regardless of anyone's opinion of my father, he is a fine man and will make a fine leader.
     Secondly, I would like to respond to the back page "Chatter" written by Delbert Davis in the January 11th issue in which he questioned both the quality of education being provided by Clay County schools and a pay raise received by Superintendent Jerry Linkinogger. I am not debating the necessity or lack of necessity of an excess levy, I am simply offering my opinion. I am a 1988 graduate of CCHS and also attended Clay Elementary and Clay Junior High School. That's right, I was educated entirely within Clay County. I soon thereafter joined the United States Air Force and have spent the past 12 years faithfully serving my country. During that time I have risen in rank considerably and am now "The Boss" with young airmen serving under my supervision. I have had the opportunity to come in contact with young folks from all walks of life, economic situations, parts of the country and education systems. So, you see, I have a strong basis for comparison. I can tell you with total confidence the level of education Clay county children receive is the best of the best. I have young men and women come to me, many of whom are straight out of high school, whose spelling is atrocious, lack basic math skills, and who have sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and don't even know what a Preamble or an Amendment is. I can assure you that folks like Bill Lambey, Mike Mullins and Bruce Cunningham made darn sure that I knew what a Preamble, Amendment, Magna Carta, Articles of Confederation and the Gettysburg Address were. If you are worried about the level of education Clay County munchkins are receiving, I suggest you compare it to anywhere, that's right, anywhere else in the country.
     Lastly, I would like to address the issue of the raise for Superintendent Linkinogger. When I was a young high schooler, Mr. Linkinogger was my Principal. It was, I believe, during my junior year that CCHS first won the National School of Excellence award. That's right, under the direction of Mr. Jerry Linkinogger. That man, in my opinion, took a school that offered a mediocre education at best and turned it into one of the finest educational institutions in the COUNTRY. It was also during that time that a local radio station held a "Principal of the Year" contest. The winner was to receive an all expense trip to some exotic destination (I believe it was Hawaii.) The method of voting was for students to write something to the effect of "I vote for Jerry Linkinogger for Principal of the Year". Believe me when I say we students were mighty jealous of schools with principals with names like Jim Smith. Anyway, there was no limit on the number of votes a school could submit. CCHS, with its 700 or so students, submitted 210,000 votes if memory serves me. The next closest school submitted 50,000 or so votes. We had to deliver the votes to the radio station in a refrigerator box. Needless to say, Mr. Linkinogger won easily and did he and his family jaunt off on their dream vacation? No way. He promptly held a school assembly and had a drawing where he gave that trip to a student and their family. Mr. Linkinogger, enjoy your raise. You deserve it. Thank you for your time and consideration. If you would like to reach me or respond please E-mail me at cowboycj@horsecity.com.

				Sincerely,
				Chris Jarrett

CHATTER 2

Clinton Nichols and DOH Supervisor Clark Samples don’t seem to be living in the real world. The roads they talked about while patting themselves on the back, are not the roads that I saw. The Ovapa cut off and the Bomont-Glen road were in terrible shape on Tuesday. The snow came on Sunday morning. They say they have priority roads to take care of when you call. This is well and good, but after three days , you would think that they would get to the outlying roads. Not once was the Glen road treated. On Thursday evening the road was so bad that four-wheel drive was the only way to go. Clay DOH has three and maybe more inexperienced drivers who have never driven a snow plow. So much for the experienced waiting to spring into action. In three days one would think that they could have plowed all of the roads once. On Thursday after all of the main roads were clear, a snow plow slid into a ditch at Glen, and had to be pulled out with a wrecker. There are many elderly people in these areas who need medical care almost daily, along with people who work and need to get out. I think that it is time to change the priorities.

				Paul Myers
				Glen, WV

CHATTER 3

     This is a personal idea on how Clay County could get themselves out of the dark ages.
     If people would put as much energy or even half their energy into solving problems in Clay County as they do in suing anyone and everyone who doesn=t (agree) with their way of thinking. The county and other organizations could save a mint on lawyer fees. If people would learn to listen to each other and not say it=s my way or the highway, we could get a lot more accomplished with very little effort. Do what you tell your children to do, and that is listen, understand, and have some compassion for others.
     As far as the Clay County Commission goes, I believe personally that they should not be on ANY board as a member, whether it be county agencies, or so called private agencies. This shows a conflict of interest no matter how you look at it.
      There are enough people and enough print telling what is going on in the county. The Commissioners should do what they were elected to do and that is help Clay County, not public or private agencies. They should also put themselves at the publics= disposal at least ONE DAY a month to be at the courthouse to listen to the public and the people who put them in office. Even though they are part time commissioners they should at least set aside one day a month to listen to the people in their district, other than just showing up during scheduled meeting dates. This would improve communication and possibly even get some ideas to get Clay out of the l800=s.
This is only my personal thought! Thank You
Frank L. Kish, Jr
1140 Queen Road Clendenin, WV 25045
548-4459
MORE CHATTERS

To the Communicator:
     Please print this letter. My, oh, my. What a Aso called@ meeting of different services in our town of Clay. When a group of men and women who are to be serving in the best interests of us - customers, patients, or what ever you call us... If we had an award for ignorance, all of you would win it hands down. Most of you choose by your own words to display (that) you=re right, the others are wrong, and you try to cram it down our throats. My throat is sore from it. As a child of God I=m called on to refrain from such hateful words that passes back and forth in these meetings. While you all bicker , we are helpless. But this can change. Until honest men and women represent us, the farther this nation, state, county, and town leaves God out for our own selfish ways. A downward trend will continue until an awful fall will be the result.
     I have written the Public Service Commission against the rate hike of 260% on our water and sewage, and have asked them where to go to find out where the monies were from - the three or four federal grants, loans from the bank, and monies from water and sewage bills. This was in October 2001. Then came the news that money was missing. So an audit is coming . Two months later nothing has been done. Shame, shame. This week, I read Betty Murphy, Town Recorder, told the town meeting (that) the State Tax Department told the Clay Town Council to do their own audit for two years back. And then the state folks will come in and do the fraud part of the document. I=m not so smart myself, but this seems wrong to me. It=s like putting a fox in the hen house to gather the eggs. Those folks at the state tax department must not know what a fox is known for. Why, there won=t be any hens, eggs, or eggshells for evidence. I have written the auditor=s office asking if this is true what Town Recorder Betty Murphy said (about) the Clay Municipal Water Works auditing themselves. So, I=m waiting for an answer. If this is true, we don=t need Glen Gainer and the state auditing office. I=d like to see a change for the better of us all.

			Thank you,
			Melba Butcher

We all knew Richard Williams. You know, the considerate, grouchy, intimidating man; who worked the water plant for humpteen years, Mr. Fix-it ( no matter what it was, or for whom). Yet he had found the time to take his equipment, and out of the goodness of his heart kept the streets in town clear from snow. You sure wouldn=t see all the piles of snow in front of the meters. He was known for being out any time of the day or night just to help.
He is sadly Missed!

Jackie & Connie Sizemore

WIDEN WATER UPDATE

     The Rural Community Assistance Program is continuing its efforts to provide a safe, affordable drinking water system to the Widen Community. RCAP recently secured the assistance of Mr. Larry Rader, who has expertise in the field of water treatment. Rader has served the Rural Water Association for over 25 years and is now a consultant with the National Drinking Water Clearinghouse in Morgantown.
     Mr. Rader will help to determine the feasibility of developing a mine water source as drinking water. Rick Proctor of RCAP, Mr. Rader, and Engineer David Pask plan a site visit to the area in the near future to familiarize Mr. Rader with the project.
     Last year RCAP submitted an application for Abandoned Mine Land Funding on behalf of Widen. Widen was also included in an application with Dille, which concerned a possible extension from Birch PSD, through Dille and to Widen. A study by Tri-Ad engineering of St. Albans concluded that this extension would cost approximately 2.6 million dollars. Under RCAP’s plan, utilizing a local water source, Widen alone could receive a drinking water system for about $400,000, or less. RCAP still favors an extension from Birch River PSD to serve Dille.
     According to AML personnel the Widen-Dille proposal currently stands as number 10 on a statewide priority list. RCAP is providing a plan overview to AML, which could cause Widen to be placed higher on the priority list to receive AML funding, due to the less expensive method of using a local source as water. This would also make the Dille project more likely because the removal of Widen from the Dille-Widen plan would result in the Dille project being much less costly. Simply put, it costs less to extend water service to Dille than to Widen. RCAP favors an extension to Dille from Birch River PSD and an independent system for Widen, utilizing a local water source.
     RCAP has had success with this type of project elsewhere in West Virginia. Some clients on this type of system currently pay a $3 per month water bill.

TRAVEL EXPENSES 2001

     Ever wonder where the Clay County School System dollars go? The following are the travel expenses for the first six months of 2001. The large amount shown at the end of each month reflects total expenses, not travel expenses only.
JANUARY 2001
     James Bass-$44.80; Danny Brown-$55.96; Kevin Brown-$99.96; Susan Canterbury- $66.64; Katherine Claytor-$241.85 Addie Cole-$120.42; David Derby - $58.80; Janet Duffield- $135.52; Loretta Gray-$59.00; Amanda Grose-$50.68; Janet Hamilton -$89.60; Michelle Hamrick -$144.20; Connie Harper-$120.06; Teresa Huffman -$221.13; Dixie Jarvis-$121.52; Jane King - $222.88; Deloris Klemen -$25.21; Greg Knopp-$174.72; Marlene Lewis - $36.53; Jerry Linkinoggor - $217.56; Terri Lowther - $110.94; Juanita Mayes (4mths)- $757.68; Evelyne McLaughlin - $128.80; Robert Morris -$104.44; Mistie McKown - $56.00; Jamela Smith-$122.69; Susanne Stinson - $143.56; Nada Waddell- $114.48; Teresa Martin (payment in lieu)- $60.00; Archie White (payment) - $108.00 TOTAL EXPENSES INCLUDING TRAVEL FOR JANUARY 2001- $241,094.52
FEBRUARY 2001
Lisa Adkins-$389.76; James Bass -$67.20; Joe Brawley-$123.20; Kevin Brown-$228.48; Pam Burton - $95.48; Randy Cantrell - $33.60; Katherine Claytor -$194.96; Janet Duffield-$73.92; Phillip Duffield-$ 172.48; Larry Gillespie-$112.00; Loretta Gray- $29.50; Amanda Grose-$63.56; Michelle Hamrick -$76.16; Connie Harper - $114.24; Ray James- $70.00; Dixie Jarvis - $189.28; Richard Jarvis - $114.80; Jane King - $198.80; Jeff Krauklis (2 months)- $416.99; Patsey Lambey - $231.84; Joyce Legg - $170.78; Larry Legg - $241.36; Jerry Linkinoggor ( 2 months) - $387.80; Juanita Mayes - $107.52; Evelyne McLaughlin - $132.72; Robert Morris - $130.00; Beverly Nichols - $61.0; Mike Smith - $231.16; Patricia Underwood - $314.27; Brian Gray (payment in lieu)- $146.00; Barbara Hodge (pmt) - $124.50; James Hughes(pmt)- 422.40; Betsy Keiffer (pmt)-$89.50; Pearl Keiffer(pmt)- $152.50; Linda Lambey (pmt) -$319.00; Teresa Martin (pmt) - $68.00; James McKinney (pmt) - $187.50; Melanie Morris (pmt)- $108.50; Angel Neal (pmt)- $180.00; Edna Neal (pmt)- $114.00; Mary Neal (pmt)- 112.00; Mary Ann Neal (pmt)- $80.30; Rose Neal(pmt)- $103.60; Patricia Neff (pmt)-$ 112.00; Alexander Potter (pmt)- 40.80; Archie White (pmt)- $79.00 TOTAL EXPENSES INCLUDING TRAVEL FOR FEBRUARY 2001 $207,498.81
MARCH 2001
Lisa Adkins-$378.80; Susan Backus- $30.24; Keven Brown - $85.36; Pam Burton -$44.60; Michelle Cafego - $129.28; Randy Cantrell - $35.00; Patricia Coulter - $63.44; Phillip Duffield - $96.80; Crystal Gibson - $20.80; Michelle Hamrick- $94.00; Connie Harper- $167.76; Leanna Hopkins- 5.60; Dixie Jarvis- $33.60; Rhonda Jelich- $198.01; Debra Johnson- $17.92; Frank Klemen - $35.20; Jeff Krauklis - $206.78; Eric Legg- $268.10; Joyce Lewis-$17.92; Juanita Mayes- $151.72; Michael Micklow - $17.92; Pam Mullins- $12.60; Bobbie Neff - $154.88; Beverly Nichols-$53.60; Steve Osborne - $17.92; Jok Schoonover- $17.92; Steve Stanley - $80.25; Anita Stephenson - $76.44; Garland Tenney- $239.52; Patricia Underwood - $17.92; Steve Zaricki - $323.02; Pamela Sherman - $150.00 TOTAL EXPENSES FOR MARCH 2001 INCLUDING TRAVEL $134,832.53

APRIL 2001
Lisa Adkins - $290.56; Joe Brawley - $185.28; Danny Brown - $34.70; Keven Brown- $176.64; Addie Cole- $60.73; Anissa Collins- $32.00; Darius Cummings - $135.36; Dian Fields (4 mths)- $418.40; Larry Gillespie - $84.68; Loretta Gray - $ 72.58; Michelle Hamrick - $97.28; Connie Harper- $369.60; James Harper- $28.80; Grithel Holcomb - $132.00; Batanya Jackson- $44.80; Dixie Jarvis (2mth)- $352.00; Connie Kerr- $32.00; Jeff Krauklis- 310.74; Joyce Legg- $62.00; Marlene Lewis- $41.03; Jerry Linkinoggor - $303.44; Terri Lowther - $38.40; William Mann - $23.90; Juanita Mayes - $420.16; Mistie McKown- $51.20; Robert Morris- $80.00; Marjorie Mullins - $258.77; Warren Mullins - $74.24; Bobbie Neff - $71.68; Beverly Nichols - $ 55.68; Michelle Paxton - $284.80; Orval Paxton - $186.24; Don Pickney (2mths)- $430.08; Elaine Reed - $60.16; Jamela Smith - $35.87; Anita Stephenson - $110.38; Susanne Stehenson-$35.20; Cheryl Thomas - $274.26; Mary Ann Triplett - $290.31; Patricia Underwood - $300.35; Tammy Varney - $83.20; Steve Zaricki (4H)- $89.34; Brian Gray, pmt,-$73.00; James Hughes, pmt.-$320.00; Pearl Keiffer, pmt- $ 114.30; Tommy Keiffer, pmt-$61.60; Patricia Loving, pmt-$160.00; Teresa Martin,pmt-$18.00; James McKinney, pmt- $120.00; Melanie Morris, pmt- $68.00; Angel Neal, pmt-$82.50; Edna Neal, pmt- $52.80; Mary Neal, pmt-$62.50; Mary Ann Neal, pmt- $52.80; Robin Neal, pmt-$67.20; Patricia Neff. pmt-$71.50; Carol Nicholas, pmt-$69.00; Alexander Potter, pmt-$32.40; Archie White. pmt-$59.40 TOTAL EXPENSES FOR APRIL 2001 INCLUDING TRAVEL $114,644.02
MAY 2001
Lisa Adkins- $130.88; Rhonda Barber - $39.36; Carol Blankenship (2months)- $304.64; Kemilla Boggs-$19.20; Joe Braley-$126.72; Kevin Brown-$231.68; Tina Burdette -$32.00; Pam Burton-$61.12; JB Butcher (2mth)-$55.68; Patricia Coulter-$164.80; Joanna Exline(air fare)-$1,143.72; Nancy Fackner-$145.31; Loretta Gray-$70.99; Michelle Hamrick-$124.16; Connie Harper-$52.80; Brian Holcomb-$120.80; Robin Holcomb-$151.36; Batanya Jackson-$62.00; Dixie Jarvis-$261.12; Richard Jarvis -$363.84; Debra Johnson-$ 26.24; Jane King (3mth)-$632.96; Greg Knopp (4mth)- $291.68; Jeff Krauklis-$353..80; Patsey Lambey-$ 217.60; Larry Legg -$ 353.80; Jerry Linkinoggor (2mth)-$ 441.40; William Mann- $122.56; Juanita Mayes-$ 296.32; Robert Morris (2mth)- $460.16; Warren Mullins-$96.00; D. Neal-$64.00; Bobbi Neff -$81.92; Beverly Nicholas-$51.20; Mike Pierson-$ 250.80; Don Pckney(2mth)-$501.76; Gail Smith (3mth)-$278.40; Mike Smith-$ 151.68; Anita Stephenson - $55.68; Lavern Taylor-$ 64.00; Garland Tenney-$ 66.95; Linda Tracy-$47.70; Nada Waddell - $80.00; Linda ???-$$504.00; T.Martin-$ 80.00; Cora Neal, pmt-$24.50;Eric Neal, pmt-$26.50 TOTAL EXPENSES FOR MAY 2001 INCLUDING TRAVEL $169,952.99
JUNE 2001
Linda Tracy-$ 138.56; Susan Backus-$34.56; Carol Blankenship- $206.72; Keven Brown-$80.00; Valerie Brown$ 57.78; Pam Burton-$ 131.02; Michelle Cafego(2mth)- $266.24; Susan Canterbury-$174.08; Dwayne Cottrell-$128.00; Crystal Gibson -$ 22.40; TG Griffith-$135.68; Loretta Gray - $124.34; Michelle Hamrick- $169.26; Connie Harper- $137.28; Brian Holcomb- $ 32.00; Grithel Holcomb -$76.80; Mary Holcomb -$12.41; Dixie Jarvis- $154.88; Debra Johnson - $102.97; Jane King -$143.36; Jeff Krauklis - $185.92; Robin Litton- $90.26; William Mann -$ 128.00; Juanita Mayes - $ 230.8; Evelyne McLaughlin - $196.48; Denese Murphy - $92.38; Linda Myers - $ 69.12; Beverly Nichols- $126.66; Vickie Nottingham - $71.68; Michelle Paxton - $204.80; Orval (Joe) Paxton- $183.08; Don Pinckney - $250.88; Mike Schoonover (5mth)- $736.00; Anita Stephenson $149.82; Linda Tracy - $8.64; Teresa Truman-$83.20; Patricia Underwood - $ 88.48 TOTAL EXPENSES FOR JUNE 2001 INCLUDING TRAVEL $138,153.54
JULY 2001
Rodney Alshire- $ 64.00; Susan Backus- $32.00; Kevin Brown- $45.44; Katherine Claytor- $270.76; Addie Cole- $208.09; Patricia Coulter - $49.92 Clara Deyton- $373.76; Forrest Drake- $35.20; Janet Duffield - $140.80; Joanna Exline -$723.20; Scott Gibson -$71.68; Larry Gillespie- $32.00; Michelle Hamrick - $87.04; James Harper- $140.00; Dixie Jarvis-$157.44; Richard Jarvis- $207.68; Debra Johnson -$78.40; Greg Knopp - $142.21;Jeff Krauklis- $250.99; Larry Legg- $363.63; Jerry Linkinoggor-$229.44; Kathi Linkinoggor-$ 409.60; William Mann-$96.00; Mistie McKown-$192.00; Robert Morris - $312.39; Ronald Morris-$183.04; Roy and Bobbie Neff-$71.68; Beverly Nichols -$ 32.00; Michelle Paxton -$30.72;..............................

CHALLENGE

All of us in Clay County are pleased that the passage of the school levy will enable our four rural schools to remain open for another 5 years. With this accomplished we now need to begin looking for ways to continue to keep these schools open in the future.
Challenge West Virginia is a statewide organization committed to maintaining and improving small schools and reforming educational policy so that all our children have the opportunity to receive a first-class education. We believe that community schools best serve the needs of our children.
Challenge is asking for your support for Senate Bill 58 & House Bill 2270, The Better Schools Bill. This bill has been introduced into the WV Legislature to amend sections of the State Code relating to how money is distributed by the School Building Authority. We are requesting that the "economies of scale " not dominate the decision on how money is allocated to the counties. In small counties like Clay we have problems getting state money because our schools are small and the current law favors larger schools. While bigger may be better in manufacturing, studies prove that small schools provide a better education for our children. We are also asking that reasonable travel times be defined for use in future decisions concerning school building and consolidation efforts. There are currently guidelines for these travel times but they are not yet law. We also ask that any school included in our Clay facilities plan be eligible for School Building Authority funding. Challenge believes that this bill will help insure the future of more community schools.
Ask your legislators to support this bill :

Mark Burnette, Bill Stemple or Shirley Love
        markburnette@wron.com
        cglagola@mail.wvnet.edu

article submitted by Challenge WV County Rep.         Marge Bragg; 286-2655 or
        Email: ijram98@hotmail.com

KAY=S COOKING CORNER

GOOD FOOD FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY
If you are concerned that your special diabetes nutrition needs will break the family=s food budget, worry no more. The latest diabetes nutrition recommendations parallel the dietary guidelines for all Americans.
-Eat a variety of foods.
-Balance the food you eat with physical activity- maintain or improve your weight.
-Eat plenty of grain products, vegetables, and fruits.
-Choose foods that are low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
-Eat only moderate amounts of sugars.
-Eat a moderate amount of salt and sodium.
-If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.

SEASONED PAN-FRIED CATFISH
Instant potato flakes lend a crunchy coating to the tender catfish fillets.
1/2 cup instant potato flakes
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 lb. Catfish fillets
1 egg, beaten
butter-flavored cooking spray
1-In a shallow dish, combine potato flakes, seasoned salt, and pepper. Dip catfish fillets in beaten egg, then coat well with seasoned potato mixture.
2-Place in a large nonstick skillet coated generously with cooking spray, and cook over medium heat until fillets are golden, about 10 minutes.
3-Spray remaining uncooked side of fillets with cooking spray, turn over, and continue cooking until golden and fish flakes easily with a fork (about 10 more minutes).
Turn only once during cooking.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 B Serving Size: 4 oz.
COST PER SERVING - $0.79
Exchanges..1/2 Starch..4 Very Lean Meat
Calories..165..Calories from Fat..45..Total Fat..5 g..
Saturated Fat..1g..Cholesterol..158mg..Sodium 233mg..
Carbohydrate..7g..Dietary Fiber <1g..Sugars..0 g..Protein..23g..
CRUNCHY ORIENTAL COLESLAW
Dressing:
1/3 cup corn oil
3 Tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Seasoning packet from Oriental Ramen noodles
Salad:
1 lb. Green cabbage, shredded
6 green onions, chopped
1 3.5-oz. Package Oriental Ramen noodles, crumbled
1/3 cup dry roasted sunflower seeds
1-In a small jar, combine dressing ingredients. Place lid tightly on jar and shake to combine. Dressing flavor is enhanced if made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator for about 1 hour before tossing with salad.
2-In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients. Toss dressing with salad and serve immediately to maintain crunchiness.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 B Serving size: 1 cup
Cost Per Serving: $0.17
Exchanges: 2 Vegetables B 3 Fat
Calories 186..Calories from Fat 126..Total Fat 14g..
Saturated Fat 2g..Cholesterol 0mg..Sodium 422mg..
Carbohydrate 12g..Dietary Fiber 2g..Sugars 3g..Protein 3g..
Hope you have enjoyed this weeks recipes. Not only are they are quick and easy for the diabetic, but also good for the entire family..
Later, Kay Kish