Pocahontas Commissioners Elect New President

The first, and primary, mission of the Pocahontas County Commission at their January 7^th meeting, was to elect a new Commission President to succeed Walter Helmick, who did not run for reelection. As of January 1, 2025, Helmick is no longer a commissioner. Right at the beginning of the meeting, both Commissioner Jamie Walker and Helmick’s successor, Commissioner Thane Ryder, declined to be considered for the Commission President position. Since Commissioner John Rebinski said he was willing, the commissioners unanimously elected Rebinski to be the Commission’s President for the upcoming year.

Also, as part of this commission’s annual reorganization the commissioners re-assigned the commissioners’ board appointments for the upcoming year. Walker kept his same assignments as he had last year, which are:

• The Board of Health:
• The Extension Service and 4H:
• The Convention and Visitors Board (CVB:)
• The Farmland Protection Board
• The Criminal Justice Board:

Commissioner Ryder picked up most of Helmick’s former boards, which are:

• The Pocahontas Memorial Hospital Board (PMH:)
• The Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation (GVEDC:)
• Pocahontas Senior Citizens’ Board:

Commission President Rebinski:

• County Purchasing Agent required to be held by the Commission President:
• Region 4 Planning and Development Council, also required to be the Commission President:
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS:)
• 911 Advisory Board:
• Local Emergency Planning Committee:
• Region I Local elected Officials Board of WIA:
• Fire Board:

The commissioners also set the dates and times for the 2025 Board of Review and Equalization Hearings at the Commission Office; they are:

1. Friday, 1/31/25 at 10:00 am.
2. Tuesday, 2/4/25 at 10:00 am -during the regular commission meeting.
3. Friday, 2/7/25 at 10:00 am.
4. Wednesday, 2/12/25 at 10:00 am.
5. Tuesday, 2/18/25 at 5:45 pm -during the regular commission meeting.

B.J. Sharp-Gudmundsson of Preserving Pocahontas also delivered that organization’s annual report to the commission. Gudmundsson talked about an exciting new item of historical significance which they obtained when Margaret Ann Sharpenberg Bays recently donated them the original land grant claimed by General Andrew Lewis for 480 acres of “Marlin’s Bottom” – which is now the Town of Marlinton. These documents were found. Gudmundsson explained the historical significance of this. Andrew Lewis surveyed that site on October 11, 1751, but he was a prisoner of war in Canada shortly afterwards so was unable to formerly file his claim to the site. Later, on June 2^nd, 1780. Then Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson corrected that by formerly drawing up and signing the land grant for Lewis. History has referred to this happening, but these original documents now fully document that land grant. The actual laminated-protected original document was passed around at the meeting.

Gudmundsson also talked about other collections that Preserving Pocahontas maintains. She said that there is a library in Washington State that lists a link to the Preserving Pocahontas on their home page and that has generated over 1000 emails containing a lot of information and questions.

Gudmundsson also announced that Suzanne Stewart is now an Intern for Preserving Pocahontas. Stewart, who attended the meeting, pointed out that Preserving Pocahontas has quite a collection of various uniforms worn, then donated by many county residents over the years.

Jamie Baker of Region 4 held the second public hearing for the Community Block Grant that will demolish all of the old Howes Tannery buildings, except for the silos. Following that meeting, the commissioners approved and signed the grant’s application, a resolution and two letters. One letter certifies that this grant is the only available source of funding the project, and the other one certifies the commission needs the buildings to be demolished. The grant is for $380,000 with $350,000 of that for the actual demolition, $20,000 of it is for administrative expenses for “Region 4”, and $10,000 is for permits.