Tim Walker
AMR
The Pocahontas County Commission, at its May 7 meeting, discussed what to do with some items that remain in the former Howes Leather office building in Frank, since that building is set to be demolished. Those items are:
• A room full of books left behind in an upstairs room by the county libraries;
• Exercise equipment allegedly left in the building years ago when the Sheriff’s Department stopped using part of the building;
• The historic door to the safe that was used by Howes Tannery;
• old time-clocks.
Commissioner John Rebinski said the Green Bank Elementary/Middle School has indicated they are willing to take the books, so the commission will give them to the Pocahontas County Historic Landmarks Commission who will donate them to the schools. The Pocahontas County Libraries and Visitor Information Centers has already said they are not interested in taking the books.
Commission President Walt Helmick said the exercise equipment is in good condition, and is probably worth at least a thousand dollars.
The Sheriff’s Department has disclaimed ownership of the equipment, and is not interested in taking it. Helmick suggested that the equipment be donated to another police department, however, the equipment is located in an upstairs room which has a partially collapsed ceiling. The poor condition of the stairway will make it too dangerous to use to bring the heavy exercise equipment out. Helmick suggested the best way might be to wait until the demolition of the building begins and try and use some of the demolition company’s equipment to remove it.
Helmick also said the historic door from the old Howes’ safe should be preserved, and perhaps given to Historic Landmarks for future inclusion in a Tannery Museum. He said the safe itself is cemented in place and it would be too difficult to remove.
Likewise, he said the antique time clocks once used by Howes employees to check in and out of work should be offered to Historic Landmarks for the future museum.
Rebinski said he wanted to ensure that the public understands that the books and exercise equipment are basically unclaimed property, not county property which would need to be sold at auction.
The commission approved a motion to try and dispose of the above property as set forth above.
At the request of Mountain Heart and North Central Community Action, the commission approved a proclamation declaring May as Community Action Month. The proclamation speaks of 60 years of community action which has created opportunities for millions of Americans to thrive and to promote an equitable society.
In other business, the commission:
• approved a request from County Prosecutor Terri Helmick to hire Sabrina Cutlip as an Office Assistant/ Legal Secretary, effective May 8.
• approved Resolution #2 of the Brownsfield EPA Clean-up Project at the Frank Tannery site to pay invoices for the project. Regarding the same project, the commission also approved a Memorandum of Agreement, which Amy Truesdale of the Greenbrier Economic Development Corporation explained will allow them to adopt the already-approved Quality Assurance Plan for the project, rather than come up with their own plan.
• approved for County Emergency Management to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad regarding specialty rescue services. Mike O’Brien explained that the Blacksburg Rescue Squad is the closest squad that has the specialized equipment and training for certain types of rescues. He said most other surrounding counties have similar agreements with Blacksburg Rescue.
• appointed Cheryl Cassell and Tammy Shoemaker to the Dramas, Fairs and Festivals board.