By Stephen Smoot
“Bless this county and all the people in it,” prayed Roger Dahmer, county commissioner, as he opened the first regular meeting in May with the customary invocation.
The first order of business lay in recognizing National Provider Appreciation Day, an event marking the contributions of child care workers. At the request of Carl Hevener, Pendleton County Commission president, Dahmer read aloud the proclamation written for the occasion. As part of the overall statement, he stated “whereas child care providers are essential to the health of our community” and “a lifeline for families.”
Crystal Roberts and Christina Chan from MountainHeart were on hand to represent the child care provider community. Roberts shared that the official day is always set for the Friday prior to Mother’s Day. She added that “providers play a vital role in children’s development” and expressed “deep gratitude to essential child care providers.”
Scott McConnell was asked by Hevener to provide an update on the courthouse annex construction. He responded by giving a schedule of when various stages would be completed. By May 8, he stated that he expected footers to be poured. Plumbing would be started by May 14, the basement slab by May 27, and the steel would arrive on June 18.
“Everything’s going pretty good,” McConnell reported overall, but shared that bad ground under where the tank had set caused some minor delays. He characterized it as “not really a big hiccup,” and added that “we were expecting bad ground.” In fact, as he explained, they expected to find worse than what was there.
Hevener then updated those in attendance about a meeting conducted with Thrasher concerning the ongoing water study. He explained, “It’s a study. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but it’s looking to the future. We’ll know where we need to go if we get funding.”
The study examines two potential routes of water expansion extending from the Town of Franklin station. One would extend east along US 33 past the bus garage and the building housing the 911 Center and West Virginia State Trooper barracks.
Another potential route of expansion would move north along US 220 to connect with the system serving Upper Tract.
Either expansion would use water from the Town of Franklin.
Mike Alt, training officer for Pendleton County Emergency Rescue, asked Rick Gillespie, Pendleton County emergency services coordinator, about fire hydrants. Gillespie responded that “it’s part of the scope of work” that includes water for both residential and business consumption, as well as fire protection.
Dr. King Seegar was in attendance. When Hevener inquired if he had anything to say, Seegar responded by reminding those present of the Medicaid meeting at the community building later in the evening.
“I think it would be important for a lot of people to come and listen,” he shared.
