At the October 5 Marlinton Town Council meeting, council approved a motion for the Marlinton Planning Commission to work with the West Virginia Community Development Hub’s Communities of Achievement Program (HubCAP) in future planning.
Community coaching is a primary part of the program and will serve the community for the next 18 months, moving certain parts of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan to completion.
HubCap community coach Eric Pories reviewed the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and identified goals that overlap and will accomplish recreation initiative goals.
HubCAP IV will provide the Town of Marlinton a unique partnership between the Hub, the U.S. Forest Service and West Virginia University Extension Service. Grounded in four approaches, the partnership will build on community and economic development. This training is being provided to six of the 10 participating communities within the Mon Forest Towns program.
The first meeting night takeaway was development of a strategy. An established community leadership team consists of at least six local volunteer leaders. Quarterly community engagement activities will welcome new volunteers and ensure resource sharing between community leaders. Surveying local businesses will identify needs and provide at least three business-specific trainings within the community. Execution of pre-development activities, for a community development project, will support development of the local recreational economy.
To be eligible to serve on the Planning Commission, you must be a citizen of the Town.
However, to serve on the HubCap Team, all you need is a desire to see that things in our community keep getting better and be willing to work toward that end.
If you have an interest to serve and would like to learn more, please send an email to townofmarlinton@frontiernet.net
The group’s belief in the future for Marlinton was clear. Now is the time to take bold action.