Editor:
Tim Walker’s article concerning the County Commission’s discussion of dredging the Greenbrier River to prevent flooding sort of reminds me of painting a rust spot but not addressing the rust. A patch where a fix is needed.
In 1997, after the flooding of 1996, a discussion was held to address and evaluate a fix for the upper Knapps Creek. Knapps Creek for years has had a problem of streambank erosion, sedimentation and loss of pasture. Moving like a snake each spring the stream searches for its channel cutting out oxbows and banks carrying loads of sediment to the Greenbrier River at Marlinton. Once reaching the Greenbrier, Knapps Creek slows depositing the sediment at its mouth. This will continue to be an annual event until stream stabilization is addressed on the upper Knapps Creek.
The Commission should begin a dialog with landowners of the upper Knapps Creek about riparian stabilization above Minnehaha Springs. Logging and agriculture practices have led to unstable channels. Channelization of the stream has exacerbated downstream flooding. Livestock trampling of the streambanks and beds requires better management to prevent continual erosion.
The 2004 project was never completed with only one or two landowners participating. Eighteen years has demonstrated the need to pull together all landowners to address this need. Taking a worldview rather than looking at what’s in front of them will provide the long term fix.
David Bott
Westover and Arbovale
Editor,
This is in reference to the story in the September 15, 2022 edition of The Pocahontas Times titled “MTC hears concerns about lack of communication.”
After being placed on the meeting agenda for ‘improve public safety through communication,’ I learned that the town had purchased the piece of property referenced in the story. The selling price has a direct affect on me so I wanted to know what it sold for. I called the county clerk’s office. I discovered that the town did not buy the property. The Housing Authority of the Town of Marlinton bought the property. There was no signature from the grantee.
I read through 8 months of town council minutes and could not find where the housing authority told the TC about purchasing this property. I called the town office asking for minutes and agendas for the last 6 months for the housing authority and was told there isn’t any; they haven’t met in years; their terms have all expired. I requested any information that the town had on file and the only thing found was a copy of an agenda for a meeting on February 7, 2014. There were no minutes for this meeting. The town office was able to provide the names they have on record for the housing authority: Fred Burns, Jr; Jake Krack; Shawn Ervine; JoAnn Eddy; John Snyder.
I brought this up at the meeting. For whatever reason, the staff writer omitted this part.
After the discussion ended about communication, I asked the following questions. Who has the authority to condemn a piece of property? Who has the authority to purchase property for the housing authority if there are no current members on the housing authority? Who signed for the housing authority?
When the discussion/questions turned to the housing authority is when council member Gail Hyer stood up and recused herself from the meeting.
Thank you
Caroline Sharp
Marlinton