Irvine voted Pocahontas Commission president

Marlinton, W.Va. – The Pocahontas County Commission held its first meeting of the year on Thursday morning. The first order of business was reorganization. Commissioner David Fleming said he would be happy to continue serving as commission president.

Newly-elected commissioner Dolan Irvine says he wants a change in leadership.

“I don’t mind making my comments,” he said. “Of course, I ran to try to make an improvement or change in direction of the county a little bit. And you know, that’s my thoughts on the thing. I’d like to see the presidency change. But that’s just my opinion.”

Commissioner Jamie Walker nominated Irvine and Irvine seconded. The commission voted 3-0 to appoint Irvine as commission president.

BJ Gudmundsson with Preserving Pocahontas gave an annual update on other group’s activities. The preservationist says Preserving Pocahontas is one of seven finalists in an international contest to win money for digitization projects.

“They do a contest, where people vote on Facebook,” she said. “People apply and, if you make the round to be one of seven finalists, they put your deal up on Facebook and people vote and the top three vote-getters win $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, respectively, to put toward the digitization project in the community. We were chosen as one of seven finalists to do the photos and the negatives at the Museum. So, voting lasts until 4:30 tomorrow. It’s on Facebook. You can go to our website – pocahontas preservation.org – and there’s a link that takes you right to their Facebook page, so that you can vote.”

Gudmundsson urges county residents to visit pocahontaspreservation.org to vote in the contest.

Davina Agee requested unspecified financial assistance for a drug addiction recovery home in Pocahontas County. Agee said the proposed facility would house up to 12 recovering addicts and teach life skills.

Agee talks about some community feedback she received.

“One question was raised to me, ‘well, I don’t think the people of Marlinton are going to be happy about you moving a bunch of drug addicts in here.’ Well, I’m sorry, but they’ve already done that. They’re here. The drug addicts are here in Marlinton. That’s why we have so many police officers that are going up and down the streets, arresting people for B and E and drunk driving and this and that. We have the problem already. We don’t have the solution yet. So, that’s what we’re trying to provide.”

Agee said her organization is in the process of obtaining non-profit status. The commission agreed to reconsider the funding request after the group is certified as a non-profit.

Brenda Harman, with the Pocahontas Artisans Co-op, requested funding for renovation of the second floor of the Fourth Avenue Gallery for office, gallery and storage space. The commission will consider the request during its February 5 meeting.

Dennis Driscoll with the Historic Landmarks Commission gave an annual update on the group’s activities, which include National Historic Register listing of the Pleasant Green Church and Cemetery in Hillsboro. Driscoll said the Landmarks Commission would be seeking tenants for the Old Log House in Marlinton in late 2013.

In other business, the county commission:
— voted to change its afternoon meeting time from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
— tabled action on a Free Libraries board appointment due to lack of a candidate.
— approved airing of commission meetings on Shentel cable TV.
— approved the single bid for county gasoline from Woodford Oil for rack price.
— agreed to pay Chittum Land Development $700 and remove a wall to terminate the Day Report Center lease in the McK Building.
— rescinded a resolution in support of a Birthplace of Rivers National Monument. For more on the Thursday’s national monument debate, tune in to Noon Hour on Monday.