Laura Dean Bennett
Staff Writer
The Pocahontas County Commission met at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday for their regularly scheduled meeting.
Dunmore resident Amy Scott spoke during the hear callers portion of the Pocahontas County Commission meeting Tuesday morning, and expressed her concern about proper disposal of waste at RV sites.
She said that with the expected influx of so many RVs for housing of construction workers during construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, she has concerns regarding possible ground and water contamination.
Her concern included the RV permitting process and a need for heightened oversight by the Pocahontas County sanitarian and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to see that waste at RV sites is being dealt with in accordance with county and state statutes.
Moving on to agenda items, Will Smith of West Virginia Interactive, gave an extensive presentation regarding the usefulness of the online credit card payment system which the sheriff’s department was considering using for processing hotel/ motel tax payments.
The company has been providing interactive financial transaction support to the county for some time, with $220,000 in transactions already successfully processed by various agencies in the county.
The proposed system would not entail any cost to the county, as credit card transaction and electronic check transaction fees are paid by the customer.
Discussion focused on the opinion by the sheriff’s department and county employees that both customers and the county have found that electronic payments are a convenience to everyone.
Commissioners voted unanimously to sign the contract with West Virginia Interactive and the electronic payment system is expected to be in place for use in hotel/motel tax collection by April 1.
The commission signed a memorandum of understanding between the Pocahontas County Community Corrections Program and the Pocahontas County Commission for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
They approved the Pocahontas County Community Corrections grant application that Laura Young has prepared on behalf of Community Corrections.
Roger Ober was hired to replace Mike Cain as Head Courthouse Custodian. Cain has served in the position for 20 years.
Ober will begin work March 13, pending a background check and drug screening.
The annual update of the Pocahontas County Deputy Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission was presented to the commission by Bob Martin.
The board consists of Howard Shinaberry (appointed by the Bar Association), Kim Walton (appointed by the Sheriff’s Dept.) and Bob Martin (appointed by the county commission), with Missy Bennett serving as ex-officio clerk and secretary.
Martin reported that the Civil Service Commission rules contained several illegalities and need to be rewritten, and that he is doing that.
In his counsel report, Martin told the commissioners that he is working on a revision of the Community Corrections’ bylaws, as they are also in need of an update.
Martin said that he and commission president Bill Beard presided over the Snowshoe RAD board election, which was held February 26.
The election was well attended, with about 125 RAD members present.
Martin said that he was happy to report that the Snowshoe RAD is now officially “on its own” and that the County Commission need no longer be involved with it.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the county commission will be held on March 20, at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
Laura Dean Bennett may be contacted at ldb@pocahontastimes.com