By Stephen Smoot
About 30 gathered to discuss Pendleton County community assets and potential last Tuesday evening at the Seneca Rocks Regional Development Authority’s Franklin Innovation Hub.
These meetings have been facilitated by the Franklin Mon Forest Towns group. This group represents a dozen incorporated and one unincorporated town in, or economically connected to, the Monongahela National Forest. Pendleton County has two, Franklin and Seneca Rocks.
Annie Humes, Pendleton County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Pendleton County Farmers Market director, shared that the group meetings are “coordinated by the Franklin representative to the Mon Forest Towns partnership board. These representatives are Michelle Connor and Melinda Brooks, alternate representative.
According to its website, the MFT organization “was formed in 2017, when local towns, three lead agencies, and more than a dozen supporting organizations came together through a multi-agency coalition to strengthen a recreation-based economy across the region.” It adds that its “work is carried out by a three-person staff housed within our fiscal sponsor, Woodlands Community Lenders, with primary funding support from the Appalachian Regional Commission.”
This meeting held last week built on a session held on Nov. 12 at the Anderson House in Franklin. It focused on community assets featuring culture, history, and the arts, as well as the area’s natural character and in-town aesthetics. As Connor wrote in a meeting overview, “Through presentations, large-group reflections, and four small-group discussions, participants explored how Franklin can build on its natural beauty, rural character, emerging outdoor recreation economy, and grow its strong sense of community.”
Almost half who attended the second meeting had not come to the first.
The second meeting welcomed a number of area stakeholders active in various fields. They included Keely Smith from the Town of Franklin Council and also its parks and recreation, Sam Urban from Trout Unlimited, Rick Gillespie from the Pendleton County Office of Emergency Management, Dr. King Seegar and his wife, Jane, Jeff and Teresa Munn who own Dry Run Distillery, Dayne Davis from Pendleton Community Bank, Mike Alt from Shreve’s Country Store and Pendleton County Emergency Rescue, as well as many others with a stake in the proceedings and a desire to help bring improvements.
Discussion strategy focused on building on the work from the first gathering. Goals identified as important were expounded upon. For example, one goal emphasized “strengthen collaboration, leadership capacity, and clear communication.” The goal’s articulation built on themes including universal pride in how well volunteers contribute and turnout, seeking out regional partnerships with other nearby towns such as Petersburg, and “recognition that Franklin’s greatest asset is its people.”
Other goals included revitalizing Franklin’s downtown while enhancing cultural, historical, etc., experiences, and expanding outdoor access and recreation opportunities, among others.
The second meeting encouraged attendees to discuss “action items” with which to pursue the goals identified. The “strengthen collaboration” goal brought forth suggested action items. These included “form a community leadership roundtable,” “develop a consistent community communications hub,” “host regular neutral “Franklin Coffee Hours,” along with leadership and civic training and development seminars.
