GVEDC Appoints Committee To Negotiate With Meck For Green Bank Property

Maxwelton, WV – The Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation has agreed to enter into negotiations with Green Bank businessman Jacob Meck to purchase nine acres of land in the Green Bank industrial park to expand his multi-business operation. The Pocahontas County owned land can be only be sold in one of two ways, either by public auction on the front steps of the courthouse or via the GVEDC, as they are the designated economic development agency for the county.

At their meeting near Lewisburg last week, the GVEDC appointed a real estate committee to begin the negotiation process with Meck. David Fleming, Pocahontas County Commission President and a member of the GVEDC Board of Directors, told his fellow members that the Commission had voted to deed the property to the GVEDC as the first step in the process of selling the land to Meck. Both supporters and detractors were present when this was discussed by the Commission. But only one person was present at the GVEDC meeting to speak on the subject, Hillsboro resident Jim Johnson.

“I had some past dealings with Mr. Meck about sewage problem in the past, and there’s a real need for the business he’s operating,” says Johnson. “He works totally under the framework of the law and I highly respect him.”

Charlie Sheets, owner of Sheets GMC in Green Bank, located across the road from Meck, also read a letter of support for selling the property to him.

The potential sale has polarized residents of Green Bank. Meck’s nearest neighbors, both residential and business have publically supported his expansion plans. But many residents are opposed to the expansion of his sewage disposal business, saying it generates unpleasant odors and detracts from the beauty of the area.

The GVEDC did not address those issues specifically. They are much more concerned with ensuring that they aren’t stuck with another property to manage should the sale fail to materialize. They already own a Pocahontas County property in Edray that they have been unable to lease or sell for a number of years.

The discussion touched on many facets of the sale such as who pays for the appraisal of the land, how much of the proceeds of the sale go back to the county and what happens to the land if the sale doesn’t go through. Realtor and board member G. Scott offered his advice.

“I have an offer to purchase when it was deeded to the GVEDC, have an offer to purchase at fair market value is what I’d have,” says Scott. “That has been done by a certified appraiser and puts it on the table and Mr. Meck agrees to pay that for the property; and have it write an offer to purchase the same time that we take deed to the property and transfer to him, Godspeed.”

Several motions were put forward and either modified or withdrawn before they settled on a much more simplified motion for the GVEDC real estate committee to undertake negotiations with Jacob Meck for the sale of property. Meck asked that the meeting be arranged as soon as possible.