Tim Walker
AMR Reporter
JoAnne Gilardi and other members of the Northern Pocahontas Historical Society Association (NPHSA) updated the Pocahontas County Commission at its November 12 meeting about efforts to establish a Visitor’s Center and Museum in Durbin, dedicated to the leather tannery industry.
Gilardi said they had located two available properties for the project. The first, and preferred one, consists of an appropriately sized building which also includes two upper floor apartments which generate $700 rental income per month. That property would cost about $220,000 dollars to purchase, and it would need renovations estimated to cost around $300,000. With other expenses, such as architect fees, she asked the commission to contribute about $550,000. Gilardi said the second property would need to have an existing building demolished and a new one built, so it would be more expensive.
Both sites are close to the Durbin Depot, enabling them to attract tourists who arrive by train as well as highway travelers.
Commissioner John Rebinski pointed out that the original plan was for the commission to only fund the cost of the architect while the Town of Durbin and the NPHSA would apply for grants to fund the remaining costs. When Gilardi and others in the group questioned whether funds from the COVID grants the commission had received would be available, it triggered a rather confusing discussion about how the approximately $3.6 million the county received through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATC) is being spent.
The bottom line, according to Rebinski and Commission President Walt Helmick, is that the county could possibly contribute up to $200,000 to this Durbin project. Helmick explained that most of the money from those federal grants was spent in the southern or central parts of the county, so it would be appropriate to assist with the Durbin Visitors Center and Museum. It was suggested that the NPHSA and the Town of Durbin seek other grants to pay for the rest of the costs. Marlinton Mayor Sam Felton suggested that since Durbin is a Mon Forest Town, they can qualify for a number of grants through that program. No final decisions on this were made, as the commission needs to learn more about the project and talk to the architect.
The commission approved the 911 Center’s request to move part-time dispatcher Danielle Tuttle to a full-time position since a full-time dispatcher left. Her hourly pay will remain the same, however she will now receive full county benefits and increased hours.
The commission also signed off on a subgrant adjustment regarding the construction of the Thomastown 911 tower, which will begin in April of 2025 and scheduled to be completed by the end of August.
The commission received a contribution request from the Pocahontas County Humane Society, and agreed to contribute $2,500 for that organization’s spay and neuter voucher assistance and feral cat program.
In other matters, the commission:
• awarded the only bid received for the courthouse offices heating oil to Woodford Oil. Heating oil costs for the next year will be based on Rack Price plus 15 cents per gallon, so a gallon of #2 heating oil today would cost about $2.41.
• held a public meeting regarding the application for a USDA loan to build the new 911/EMS building. There were no public comments.
• approved a Community Development Block Grant application for demolishing buildings at the Frank Tannery site and agreed to pay a $5,000 Voluntary Remediation Plan agreement to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection for the EPA cleanup project at the same site.
• approved budget amendment #2 and resolution #4 which reimburses Region 4 for the advertising they did for the BOE Demolition Project.
• approved Draw Request #11 from the ARC Broadband Project to pay $8,132 for Thompson and Litton invoices.