By Stephen Smoot
After Roger Dahmer, commissioner, offered praise and thanks to God in the customary invocation, the Pendleton County Commission commenced its second regular meeting for the month of November.
Karen Pitsenbarger, Pendleton County administrator, offered the maintenance report. It included the need of attention for a local cemetery memorial. She added that the health department had requested the replacement of a deteriorating set of stairs in the rear of the building. Repairs had not helped and replacement has become necessary.
Pitsenbarger stated that she had reached out for an estimate.
She shared that Jimmie Bennett, commissioner, had inquired about contractors to perform work in the Clinton Hedrick Community Building serving Riverton.
In discussion with Rick Gillespie, Pendleton County Emergency Services coordinator, commissioners agreed to table a second reading of the raise in 911 fees in order to hammer out details in the change.
The 911 fee only supports the operation of the center. Funds from it cannot be used for other purposes.
Diana Mitchell, director of Pendleton 911, submitted a road name request for a drive upon which two homes will soon be constructed. It received the name Hickory Haven Lane.
Commissioners then turned to Mike Alt, training officer for Pendleton County Emergency Rescue, for an update. He stated that PCER had received calls on homeless individuals in the county during the past two or three weeks, but that they had seemed to have moved on. Those calls cost PCER time, equipment, and financial resources, but “we’re not going to get reimbursed for them.”
A number of individuals have taken to calling PCER and requesting to go to Sentara RMH even when other hospitals are closer. Alt speculated that they seek a free ride to Harrisonburg, Virginia, more than they need medical treatment. “They’re getting high smoking dope and everything else” and want a ride. Such people are “abusing the system and there’s no way out of it.”
Alt suggested that the West Virginia Legislature should pass an act allowing ambulance services to go to the nearest facility rather than the one requested in such situations.
Carl Hevener, Pendleton County Commission president, shared that he “pressed the state treasurer” on the issue of EMS and fire funding during last week’s meeting at Fisher Mountain.
Gillespie and Alt offered their views on the past two weeks of fires that have plagued the region. “One key concern that emerged lay in,” as Alt said, “finding a lot of stuff in the backwoods and remote areas.” That mostly included “outlaw” cabins constructed without proper permits or 911 addressing. Gillespie shared that he saw an unused, but still in place “personal electric system up there.” It posed no danger, but demonstrated the lengths that some will go to avoid official notice.
Cabins, legal or not, “are in jeopardy because folks won’t follow the Firewise program” that advises how to create “buffers around their house.” Alt added that “we educated them” about why they created a dozer road and also keeping natural debris, such as leaves away, from the structure.
Brooke Hott had reported in a meeting earlier this year that she estimated the health department was only contacted for permitting in about half of the new cabin constructions in the county. Jennifer Taylor-Ide, in attendance, asked if drones could be used to identify rogue residences. It was speculated that the assessor might, but that emergency management may have different laws to follow in that.
Gillespie noted that he had found “intel gathering” effective by tracking down information online.
Annie Humes, executive director of the Pendleton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, shared that in conjunction with Mon Forest Towns, they had held a community meeting at the Anderson House in Franklin last week. Attendees, including Dahmer, took part in a general discussion and small group workshops.
Humes added that two more such events would take place in the near future.
She also stated that grant funding applications would soon be accepted to pay for a mural related to the “America 250” celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the start of the War of Independence.
Dahmer stated that it sounded like a great idea if the grant funds would cover the cost of the mural. Hevener said, “I’ve noticed that Petersburg has put up several in town.” Most murals completed in recent years in Potomac Highlands counties, including two in Franklin, have come from the mind and talent of Kelson Thorne, artist.
