Dale Bacorn Chosen As New Council Member For Town Of Durbin

Durbin, WV – During a special meeting Tuesday night, Durbin council elected its newest member. By a 4-2 vote, council elected Dale Bacorn to a vacant council seat, left open due to a shortage of candidates during the last election.

Two persons, Bacorn and Paul Ransom, submitted their names to be considered for the council appointment. John Osborn moved that Ransom be appointed to the vacant seat. Bob Gray seconded, but the nomination lost on a 4-2 vote. Councilmember Earl Vance moved that Bacorn be appointed and councilmember Mike Vance seconded. Bacorn’s nomination passed on a 4-2 vote, with Osborn and Gray voting nay.

Bacorn has lived in Pocahontas County since 1985 and resided in Durbin since 1988. He drove a truck for Interstate Hardwood for more than 10 years and is now retired. Interviewed at his Durbin home, the retired trucker says he has a desire to help the town, but the first thing he needs to do is learn how the town council works.

“Well, they had an opening, so I figured I’d just run'” he said. “I don’t know much about it , right now, until I get in there and help them out.”

Bacorn said many Durbin residents, like himself, are retirees on limited incomes. The new councilmember says his emphasis will be to limit town spending.

“They just want to spend money, spend money and there ain’t no money here to spend,” he said. “That’s the way I feel. If they’d just wouldn’t spend so much money, I think they’d really help out here, because most of the people here are retired.”

In other business, council unanimously approved the first reading of a town parking ordinance. Among other things, the new law prohibits parking in front of a private drive; within 15 feet of a fire hydrant; and within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection. The new ordinance provides for fines as much as $500 for violations. The ordinance will be advertised and considered, after a second reading during the March council meeting.

Council discussed the hiring of a town judge. Mayor Donald Peck said the town was too small to justify the expense of having a judge. The mayor said a town judge would require the town office to process a higher volume of paperwork and increase costs. Mike Vance said a potential candidate for the position, Bill Hevener, a former magistrate, had talked to him about the position.

Councilmember Bob Gray said Hevener would be a good judge. Mike Vance said he would get more information from Hevener and report back to council. The council will consider the hiring at future meetings.

The next Durbin council regular meeting is scheduled for march 13, 7 p.m. at the Durbin Town Office.

Story By

Heather Niday

Heather is our Program Director and Traffic Manager. She started with Allegheny Mountain Radio as a volunteer deejay. She then joined the AMR staff in February of 2007. Heather grew up in the Richmond, Virginia, area and now lives in Arbovale, West Virginia with her husband Chuck. Heather is a wonderful flute player, and choir director for Arbovale UMC. You can hear Heather along with Chuck on Tuesday nights from 6 to 8pm as they host two hours of jazz on Something Different.

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