Commission Seeks to Help Finance Durbin Visitors Center and Museum Project
JoAnne Gilardi and other members of the Upper Pocahontas County Community Coalition (UPCC) updated the county commissioners at their November 12th meeting about efforts to establish in Durbin, a Visitor’s Center and Museum dedicated to the leather tannery industry.
Gilardi said they had located two available properties to consider for the project. The first, and preferred one, consists of an appropriately sized building which also includes two upper floor apartments which generate $700.00 rental income per month. That property would cost about $220,000 dollars to purchase, and it would need renovations estimated to cost around $300,000. With other expenses, such as architect fees, she asked the commission to contribute about $550,000. Gilardi said the second property would need to have an existing building demolished and a new one built, so it would be more expensive.
Both sites are close to the RR Depot in Durbin, enabling them to attract the tourists who arrive by train as well as other highway travelers.
Commissioner Rebinski pointed out that the original plan was for the commission to only fund the cost of the architect while the Town of Durbin and the UPCC would apply for grants to fund the remaining costs. When Gilardi and other members of the UPCC questioned whether funds from the COVID grants the commission had received would be available, it triggered a rather confusing discussion about how the approximately 3.6 million dollars the county received through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and the Local Assistance & Tribal Consistency Fund (LATC) is being spent.
You can view the document from the County Clerk’s Office which outlines the allocated and spent money from ARP and LATC at the end of this story
The bottom line according to Rebinski and Helmick is that the county could possible contribute up to $200,000 to this Durbin project. Helmick explained that most of the money from those federal grants was spent in the southern or central parts of the county, so it would be appropriate to assist with the Durbin Visitors Center and Museum. It was suggested that the UPCC, and the Town of Durbin seek other grants to pay for the rest of the costs. Mayor Sam Felton of Marlinton suggested that since Durbin is a Mon Forest Town, they can qualify for a number of grants through that program. No final decisions on this were made, as the commissioners need to learn more about the project and talk to the architect.
The commissioners approved the 911 Center’s request to move a part-time dispatcher, Danielle Tuttle to a full-time position since a full-time dispatcher has left. Her hourly pay of $13.50 will remain the same, however she will now receive full county benefits and increased hours. Since Aaron Jackson, another full-time dispatcher is being paid $12.50 per hour, the commissioners voted to raise his salary to $13.50 per hour.
The commissioners also signed off on a subgrant adjustment regarding the construction of the Thomastown 911 tower, which will begin in April of 2025 and scheduled to be completed by the end of August.
The commissioners received a contribution request from the Pocahontas County Humaine Society, and agreed to contribute $2,500 to them for their spay and neuter voucher assistance and feral cat program.
Also at the meeting:
- They awarded the only bid received for the courthouse offices heating oil to Woodford Oil. Heating oil costs for the next year will be based on Rack Price plus 15 cents per gallon, so a gallon of #2 heating oil today would cost about $2.41.
- They held a public meeting regarding the application for a USDA loan to build the new 911/EMS building. There were no public comments made.
- They approved a Community Development Block Grant application for demolishing buildings at the Frank Tannery site, and agreed to pay a $5000.00 Voluntary Remediation Plan agreement to the WV DEP for the EPA Cleanup project at the same site.
- They approved budget amendment #2 and resolution #4 which reimburses Region 4 for the advertising they did for the BOE Demolition Project.
- They approved Draw Request #11 from the ARC Broadband Project to pay $8,132 for Thompson and Litton invoices.
ARP and LATC Information from County Clerk
Story By
