Commissioners Open and Award Bids for Leases of East Cass FEMA Lots

In part 1 of our story about the November 4^th Pocahontas County Commission meeting, we reported on heated discussions between the commissioners; Gail Siers and Darrell Roach – the two Solid Waste Authority Board members who were appointed to that board by the commissioners; Jacob Meck of Allegheny Disposal; and Chris McComb, the recently fired Pocahontas County Landfill Manager.

Now in part 2, here are the other actions taken at that meeting.

The commissioners opened a number of sealed bids by residents of East Cass to lease some of the county’s FEMA properties in East Cass. There were no bids on 4 of the lots. The following bids were received and approved:

1. A .74-acre lot in the Blackhurst Addition– bid by David J Cain for $8/yr for 3 years =$24
2. Lot 1 Block 6 -bid by David J. Cain for $6/yr for 3 years = $18 total
3. Lot 7 Block 2 – bid by David J. Cain for $8/yr for 3 years =$24 total
4. Lots 13 & 14 – bid by David J. Cain for $2/yr for 3 years =$6 total
5. Lot 3 Block 6 -bid by Gerald Bond for $5/yr for 3 years =$15 total
6. Lot 5 Block 5- bid by Frederick S. Lewis for $10/yr for 3 years = $30 total

The total of the 6 approved three-year leases is $117.00. These leases still need to be approved by FEMA.

The commissioners then held a discussion about the possible purchase of a house owned by Sandra Alderman adjacent to the Courthouse. No decision was made on this. The asking price is $200.000 but it was pointed out that the appraisal value is $60,000. Sheriff McCoy told the commissioners that he looked at the house, but it is not suitable for the Sheriff’s Office. The discussion included the possible use of the house by the Health Department, but they also discussed the possible purchase of a modular building for that Department on Courthouse property.

Sheriff McCoy also asked for a budget revision and resolution to allow him to move funds to purchase badly needed secure storage containers and gun safes for evidence and firearms, however the commissioners decided to take the money for that out of another commission budget instead of the Sheriff’s budget.

Also at the meeting:

• The commissioners passed a proclamation declaring November as “National Hospice Month.” They did this in response to a request by Nancy Dotson of WV Caring. Dotson said Hospice provides wholistic care to bring comfort and dignity to patients with a terminal illness.
• At the request of Elissa Cavender and Sharon Silmer of the Pocahontas County Humane Society, the commissioners approved a donation of $2,500 to that organization. This will be used for providing critical care, including spay and neutering expenses for the feral cat colonies in the county.
• The commissioners passed Resolution #6 in the amount of $233,782.29 for construction costs of the PMH Wastewater Project.
• They appointed Debbie Ervine to be the Public Sector board member for North Central WV Community Action.
• They approved payment of $1,603.91 for Payment Resolution #27 of the EPA Tannery Project to pay invoices from Greenbrier Environmental and the WV Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP’s) split water sampling, which is a double checking of the accuracy of other water sampling.
• The commissioners approved the submission of a Request to Release Funds for the Thornwood Water Extension Project.
• And they approved the grant application for the DEP DLAP Grant, which is for the demolishing of the old Howes Tannery office building; two storage buildings there, and of a burned house in the community.