By Stephen Smoot
A number of area residents suffering with kidney troubles may have a better option for care soon. Representatives from the Hardy County Committee on Aging came to the Pendleton County Commission’s final regular meeting of the month to offer a proposal on how to seal the deal on bringing a kidney dialysis center to Moorefield.
The meeting commenced with the customary invocation by Roger Dahmer, commissioner. He prayed “we come to the Throne of Grace, thanking you and praising you.” He followed by asking God to lift up those who have recently experienced tragedy.
Commissioners first heard presentations from counsel representing both sides of an estate dispute. Commissioners agreed that since they lacked professional knowledge of relevant law, that they would allow the issue to go to the next step, the circuit court.
Next came three representatives from the Hardy County Committee On Aging. These included Bill Ours and Greg Greenwalt, who both serve on the board of directors, and Mike Crites who is executive director of the organization.
“We appreciate the opportunity to present to you this morning,” stated Greenwalt. He explained that Hardy County once enjoyed having a dialysis center that was central to those living in the southern half of the Potomac Highlands region, but that the center had since relocated to Keyser.
Recently, another company had expressed interest in placing a new dialysis center in Moorefield. One of the sticking points, however, had come in a pledge from the outgoing Hardy County Committee on Aging executive director.
To entice the center to locate in the former Hardy County Health Department building, part of a complex owned by the committee on aging, a promise was made to allow the company operating the dialysis center to get a year of rent in the building paid.
The committee on aging has determined that conditions have changed and that they can no longer afford to simply forego the rent.
Greenwalt told the commissioners that the group would approach every local government entity in the affected region to request financial support if possible, moral support if not. He asked at the very least if a letter of support could be obtained “to get it up and running because it’s needed.”
Crites offered supporting statistics, including the high rates of diabetes and renal failure in West Virginia. High blood sugar over a long period of time can create high levels of creatinine, which can undermine kidney function and lead to renal failure.
For most, travel to Keyser is too difficult for patients and those who assist them. Greenwalt shared that the group had spoken with Janice Lantz from Pendleton Senior and Family Services first as a courtesy before meeting with the Pendleton County Commission. He stated that Lantz shared that it is “easier for (Pendleton County seniors) to travel to Moorefield than Harrisonburg.
Later in the week, Dave Workman, president of the Hardy County Commission, shared that he knew of kidney patients in Mathias who were blocked from crossing state lines to get service in Harrisonburg. The difference between the round trips for a patient in Mathias is approximately an hour longer to go to Keyser than Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The group shared that they will also approach the Town of Moorefield and the Grant and Hardy county commissions. By coincidence, Bob Horan, mayor of the Town of Franklin was in the gallery to speak to the commissioners on a separate matter.
After the group left, commissioners and others in the gallery discussed the proposal. Dahmer offered, “I think we ought to give them something. Jimmie Bennett, commissioner, concurred and cited the hardship of many patients in trying to get to Keyser.
Dr. King Seger, also in the audience, shared, “I think it makes a lot of sense” to assist them.
Carl Hevener, Pendleton County Commission president, stated that rides offered for medical services by Potomac Valley Transit Authority could transport such patients more efficiently if they only had to run them to Moorefield. All spoke positively about supporting the effort with Hevener floating ideas of how to do it fairly.
Horan rose to speak next. He came to the meeting with Michele Connor, the Town of Franklin’s representative with the Mon Forest Towns group.
“Thank you for having me,” Horan began, then stated his support for the fulfillment of a grant awarded last year to the Mon Forest Towns group. This grant would pay for West Virginia University law students to form a comprehensive plan, which would necessitate the creation of a planning commission.
Horan proposed a joint working session between town and county elected officials so that all could speak plainly on the matter.
Pendleton County is unique in that the grant generally was only awarded to specific municipalities. Since Seneca Rocks is a Mon Forest Town without a government, the county has the option to step in and allow the creation of a plan for the entire county and not just the towns in the MFT program.
While some Town of Franklin council members expressed a willingness to accept just for Franklin, they opted to allow the county the chance to accept first.
Hevener replied, “I’ll be right up front. I’m not going down the road of zoning. I’m against it.” He added with emphasis that if the proposed meeting was about that, “you’re going to waste my time.”
Connor explained the benefits of having a comprehensive plan would spotlight the economic development opportunities and existing assets in Pendleton County. She also stated emphatically, “This has nothing to do with wind turbines.” Additionally, she stated that the county need not pass zoning ordinances if they accepted the grant for the creation of the plan.
Annie Humes, interim executive director of the Pendleton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, added that this particular planning concept would better resemble a business plan than the first step toward a zoning law.
Dahmer said he was not opposed “to just talking about it.” Hevener and Bennett concurred.
Commissioners had already agreed to hear a presentation during a working session from Kat Darby of West Virginia University on the potential benefits. They agreed that the joint session with the Town of Franklin be held with the WVU and MFT representatives, as Hevener said “so we can get the same story at once.”
In other happenings at the meeting, Pendleton County emergency services coordinator, Rick Gillespie, announced that the traffic camera on Elk Mountain, after several months of weather-related delays, is finally fully operational.
