Snowshoe Property Owners Concerned About Objectivity Of PSD Board Members

Marlinton, WV – Snowshoe homeowners Donnelle Oxley and David Litsey are concerned that two of the Pocahontas Public Service District board members are being led astray when it comes to the regional sewer plant by PSD Attorney Tom Michael. Speaking before the Pocahontas County Commissioners Tuesday, Oxley says she told PSD Board member Amon Tracey his decisions are being unduly influenced by Michael.

“You all are voting as if you are scared to death of what Tom Michael has threatened you with” says Oxley. “It was said that Tom Michael said in private meetings, that he would have to quit if Thrasher [Engineering] lost the [regional sewer]contract.”

But Michael’s own comments from the last PSD meeting on May 18th seem to contradict this assertion.

“I don’t represent Thrasher and I don’t partner with Thrasher” says Michael.

Oxley also says she considers fellow PSD member Mark Smith a “lost cause” due to his continuing support of the Linwood site for the regional plant. Both Oxley and David Litsey raised the issue of trying to remove both Smith and Tracey from the board. Litsey also says there’s another agenda at work, accusing Thrasher of extending contract negotiations in order to reap continued fees.

The Commissioners took no action at Tuesday’s meeting. Commissioner David Fleming says he will look into state code regarding the removal of board members.

In other business, the Commission by a two to one vote approved a grant resolution for the county multi-purpose Community Center, to be built adjacent to Marlinton Elementary School. With almost three million dollars in funding already set aside for the center, grant coordinator Roger Trusler says they need the Commissions backing to actually get the money flowing. Commission President Martin Saffer voted against affixing his signature to the application. He says if they have to put any money up front, it could put the county in a bind, financially, while waiting for reimbursement from the federal government.

The Commissioners also passed a motion to delay appointment of a board member to the Solid Waste Authority, saying the position had not been sufficiently advertised. They will take up the appointment again at the next meeting on June 15th. Anyone interested in serving on the SWA board should contact the Commission at 304-799-6063.

The Commissioners also discussed community planning with Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Abbey Withrow and CVB board member Martha Giddings. While unwilling to commit to any specifics until they talk to other CVB board members, both women agree that the CVB should be involved in any future planning.

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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