Tim Walker
AMR Reporter
Anticipating newly elected County Com- missioner Thane Ryder replacing current Commissioner Walt Hel-mick on January 1, 2025, two of the three commissioners voted, at the November 19 Pocahontas County Commission Meeting, to purchase the lot next to the courthouse for $85,000.
Helmick originally plan-ned to build a new courthouse annex on that site, but he explained that he has given-up on the annex build since he has run out of time to do it, and because of opposition to it. Helmick still wanted to purchase that property since it is available, out of the flood plain, and next to the courthouse, despite that there are no plans to utilize it. Helmick and Commissioner John Rebinski indicated that a future commission might want to build an annex or a parking lot there. It was also acknowledged that once the commission buys the lot, it will be responsible for demolishing the unusable house on it, which will cost an additional $10,000 to $12,000.
Commissioner Jamie Walker was the only commissioner to vote against this purchase.
Regarding the division of hay cutting on the East Fork property among several interested parties, the commission decided to have the county prosecutor draw up lease agreements with each of those farmers.
The commission voted to move Animal Shelter part-time employee Mia Friel to a full-time staff management position. Sheriff Jeff Barlow had asked the commission to remove the cost of that position from his budget since he needs to hire an additional court bailiff. The commission decided to leave the position on the Sheriff’s budget until their next meeting when they can fund it differently.
The “on-again-off again” purchase of the Pocahontas County Landfill property by the commission from the Fertig Family on behalf of the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) may be off again. Rebinski identified three problems with the lease as written, but said all three can or have already been worked out.
1. The lease incorrectly states Landfill Road from Route 28 to the landfill is a private road and requires it to have insurance coverage. However, it is an official WV State Road, not needing insurance. He said that can be easily corrected.
2. Spelling out who is responsible for fencing that road has also been agreed upon after months of negotiations, so that should not be a problem.
3. A new restriction in the deed only allows the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) to access the Fertigs’ water source seven months per year, and it also restricts the use of that water to controlling dust on the Landfill Road. The Fertig family indicated they are willing to reach a compromise on that issue.
The remaining problem, which may very well sink the whole sale, is that some Solid Waste Authority members refuse to accept any side agreements being written into the deed, including those listed above. They want a simple deed containing no restrictions or agreements, or they will refuse the sale.
SWA Member Dave Henderson was adamant on that, calling it an “ultimatum.” However, the Fertig family and their attorney insist those be left in the deed and reworded or revised if necessary.
This issue was not resolved during this meeting, after a disgusted Helmick ended further discussion on this topic.
Rebinski proposed advertising jobs to staff the County Ambulance Service, after it is expanded to cover the lower half of the county.
Marlinton Fire Chief Herbie Barlow challenged Rebinski’s right to single handedly manage the county’s paid ambulance service. He asked Rebinski to identify the Board of Directors for the county ambulance service, and did not accept Rebinski’s reply that the other two commissioners serve in that role. Barlow said the Pocahontas Emergency Medical Service Authority should be running a county ambulance service, not a commissioner. Rebinski said he had asked the EMS Authority to run it, but they were unwilling to do so. Barlow told Rebinski that if he asks again, he will get a different response from the EMS Authority. Rebinski pledged to ask them again at the next EMS Authority meeting – January 8 at 7 p.m.
Barlow said that the Marlinton and Hillsboro VFDs remain willing to allow the county ambulance service to use one of their ambulances, their two-bay station – including a second story two-bedroom staff apartment on Second Avenue in Marlinton, and the needed medical equipment, all at no cost provided that Rebinski turns the management of the Pocahontas County Ambulance Service over to the EMS Authority. Barlow said this will provide 20-hour per day coverage on weekdays and 24-hour coverage per day on weekends, which is far more service than Rebinski is providing in the northern part of the county, or proposing for the southern half of the county.