Jay Miller Offers Advice to the Pocahontas Commissioners

Jay Miller addressed the Pocahontas County Commissioners at their August 20^th meeting. He discussed a number of issues. Regarding the old jail building behind the courthouse, he disputed that it is falling down, saying it is solid. He noted that there are deputies offices inside of it, and while it cannot be open to the public because it is not American Disability Act compliant, its interior spaces could be modernized in the future and used for things like offices or storage.  Miller said that should eliminate the need to purchase the property adjacent to the courthouse. He said that if it is decided that a courthouse annex needs to be built in the future, it would be a lot cheaper to build it up on the flat roof of the new part of the courthouse since that was designed so that another story could be built on that roof top.

Miller also told the commissioners that since they don’t have all of the funding to build the full 911 Center and EMS building behind the hospital, they should scale it back to around 3 to 4 million dollars and use their American Rescue Plan money; their tribal money and PELT money to build it.

The real priority, Miller added is the waste management and disposal crisis looming in a year or two when the county landfill closes. He predicted that the Solid Waste Authority will soon bring a Memorandum of Understanding to the commissioners which will benefit them, but not necessarily the commission. Because waste disposal is ultimately a responsibility of the County Commission, Miller said the commissioners should get out in front of this with their own plan and financial proposal to ensure that waste disposal continues in the county even after the landfill closes.

Since Miller delivered his ideas as part of Hear Callers-or public comment, the commissioners did not respond to his ideas. Also, the agenda item that triggered Miller’s remarks – having their architect talk about the old jail building and the possible purchase of the lot next to the courthouse – was rescheduled to a future meeting since the architect was unable to be at this meeting.

Another agenda item which required the presence of the architect -the proposed visitors’ Center in Durbin- was also rescheduled.

It was also announced at the meeting that County Prosecutor Terry Helmick is resigning as of September 6^th.

Jeremy Jones, the Director of the WV Division of Forestry appeared before the commissioners to ask that they renew the division’s lease of space at the Former Shoe Factory Building in Marlinton for another 5 years at the same $500.00 per month. Others in the building had complained that the Division of Forestry had equipment scattered all around the inside and outside of the building beyond the area they lease, so the commissioners had invited the division to discuss this before renewing their lease. Jones said the extra equipment is temporary and will be gone within the month and they will avoid that in the future. The lease was renewed by the commissioners.

Also, at the meeting the commissioners:

• Approved the additional $20,000 cost of asbestos abatement at the Tannery property because additional asbestos was found.
• Approved the sheriff’s recommendation that pets not be allowed in the courthouse except for service dogs.
• Moved Part-time EMT Kiara Davis to a full-time EMT position at the County Ambulance Service.
• Approved the EMS Salary Enhancement Fund Questionnaire.

Made 5 appointments to the Local emergency Planning Commission Board – Gail Siers; Heather Niday; Leisha Cassell; John Leyzorek; and Wanda Wyatt and appointed Kaitlyn Alderman to the Day Report Board.