Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
Discussion at Monday night’s Marlinton Town Council meeting centered on progress in the wastewater system improvements project as well as taking over the Beard Heights sewer system.
The latest action council had to take regarding the wastewater system improvement project was to approve the contract with Weller and Associates, Inc. to do an archaeological survey of several locations in town where construction will take place.
Fred Hipes, of Thrasher Group, said this action is required and was planned as part of the project from the beginning, so there is already funding set aside.
“One of the things that has to be done for all three of the projects – the water line replacement, the storm sewer installation and the sanitary sewer improvements – is to go through and have an archaeological investigation done because there were a few places in town where, previously, human remains had been found,” he said.
Once the survey is complete, the results will be shared with the town, as well as the Division of Culture and History, DEP and Corps of Engineers.
Regarding the Beard Heights sewer system, council approved to give permission to Mayor Sam Felton to sign any documents related to the project.
At the last Pocahontas County Commission meeting, the commission approved to transfer funding and land that was purchased for the project to the Town of Marlinton.
The funding that was set aside for the project has an expiration date of January 31, 2026, so the town is planning to move forward quickly with the project which will replace the sewer system that serves customers in Beard Heights, including Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, Marlinton Middle School and the State Police Barracks.
In other action, council discussed:
• moving the next regular council meeting to Monday, August 11.
• keeping the B&O tax at two percent for the Pocahontas Memorial Hospital construction project.
• to have neighbors Nancy Morgan Roche and Olivia Dean settle the conflict concerning a survey cost and removal of gravel between their property.
Roche sent a letter to council requesting reimbursement for the cost because council approved to open the alley in question for Dean to have campsites on her property behind her house.
Felton explained that council was led to believe that all the neighbors were informed about the project and that a survey had been done, but that was not the case.
Council agreed that the matter should be handled by the individuals and not council because it was informed by Dean in the March meeting that she would incur any costs that would result from the project.
Marlinton Town Council meets the first Monday of each month, excluding holidays, at 7 p.m. in the municipal building auditorium. The public is welcome to attend in person or through a Zoom link online.
