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By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor
KEYSER — After hearing that the progress of the Northern Mineral County Regional Sewer Project may have hit a slight snag with the Public Service Commission, Mineral County's Commissioners took their case to the Governor during his visit to Keyser last week.
County Coordinator Mike Bland told the commissioners during their June 9 meeting that the PSC, upon reviewing the paperwork on the sewer project, “had elected to re-arrange the rate structure” which the county had proposed.
Bland called the new rate structure “totally unacceptable,” and said if the county and the PSC could not work out the problem, it would “have to be argued before an administrative law judge.”
Such procedures often add months, if not a year, to the project timeline.
Thursday, the commissioners met for approximately an hour with Gov. Joe Manchin shortly after his appearance at the Mineral County Senior Olympics.
According to Commission President Wayne Spiggle and Commissioner Cindy Pyles, the sewer project was on the top of the discussion list.
After hearing the county officials' pleas for help, Manchin immediately started making phone calls to the appropriate agencies.
“At one time, two cell phones to Charleston were in operation at once,” Spiggle said.
According to Pyles, documentation which Bland had needed but had not yet been received from the West Virginia Department of Culture and History was emailed to Mineral County the day after the Governor called them.
“As far as the rate structure, I think that will be worked out soon, too,” she said.
Spiggle noted that Manchin “likes to solve problems on the spot,” and he and the other commissioners left the meeting “knowing the situation will be dealt with in a very short time frame.”
Pyles pointed out that any further delays in the progress of the sewer project could mean Mineral County might lose stimulus funding which has been promised to help complete funding for the first phase.
With the addition of the stimulus money, the county will be able to prepare to launch Phase II while Phase I is under construction. Without the money, Phase II could be delayed for some time.
The commissioners also talked to Manchin about the need to fund a study necessary for the Route 220 North-South Corridor, which will help traffic flow from Route 68 to Corridor H near Scherr.
“The Greater Cumberland Committee, a business group representing Mineral, Garrett, and Allegany counties, has made this their No. 1 issue,” Spiggle explained. “The Governor is aware that TGCC recently met with Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who pledged his support, and Gov. Manchin indicted he would welcome more information on the issue and would gladly give an audience to TGCC.”
Pyles said Manchin also indicated he would speak with O'Malley personally on the issue.
Spiggle said he was also able to speak briefly with the Governor about the mission of the Healthy Mineral County Coalition, especially after Manchin had spoken to the Senior Olympians about the importance of regular exercise and eating a healthy diet.
“He responded by saying that there should be some way to give an incentive to communities that were involved in these programs, and that provided a segway to describe our need to have a wellness facility on par with Hampshire County's facility,” Spiggle said.
“There was no funding solution there, but the Governor was supportive of our efforts.”
Both Spiggle and Pyles said the left the meeting with the Governor feeling very positive and that much had been accomplished.
By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor
KEYSER — After hearing that the progress of the Northern Mineral County Regional Sewer Project may have hit a slight snag with the Public Service Commission, Mineral County's Commissioners took their case to the Governor during his visit to Keyser last week.
County Coordinator Mike Bland told the commissioners during their June 9 meeting that the PSC, upon reviewing the paperwork on the sewer project, “had elected to re-arrange the rate structure” which the county had proposed.
Bland called the new rate structure “totally unacceptable,” and said if the county and the PSC could not work out the problem, it would “have to be argued before an administrative law judge.”
Such procedures often add months, if not a year, to the project timeline.
Thursday, the commissioners met for approximately an hour with Gov. Joe Manchin shortly after his appearance at the Mineral County Senior Olympics.
According to Commission President Wayne Spiggle and Commissioner Cindy Pyles, the sewer project was on the top of the discussion list.
After hearing the county officials' pleas for help, Manchin immediately started making phone calls to the appropriate agencies.
“At one time, two cell phones to Charleston were in operation at once,” Spiggle said.
According to Pyles, documentation which Bland had needed but had not yet been received from the West Virginia Department of Culture and History was emailed to Mineral County the day after the Governor called them.
“As far as the rate structure, I think that will be worked out soon, too,” she said.
Spiggle noted that Manchin “likes to solve problems on the spot,” and he and the other commissioners left the meeting “knowing the situation will be dealt with in a very short time frame.”
Pyles pointed out that any further delays in the progress of the sewer project could mean Mineral County might lose stimulus funding which has been promised to help complete funding for the first phase.
With the addition of the stimulus money, the county will be able to prepare to launch Phase II while Phase I is under construction. Without the money, Phase II could be delayed for some time.
The commissioners also talked to Manchin about the need to fund a study necessary for the Route 220 North-South Corridor, which will help traffic flow from Route 68 to Corridor H near Scherr.
“The Greater Cumberland Committee, a business group representing Mineral, Garrett, and Allegany counties, has made this their No. 1 issue,” Spiggle explained. “The Governor is aware that TGCC recently met with Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who pledged his support, and Gov. Manchin indicted he would welcome more information on the issue and would gladly give an audience to TGCC.”
Pyles said Manchin also indicated he would speak with O'Malley personally on the issue.
Spiggle said he was also able to speak briefly with the Governor about the mission of the Healthy Mineral County Coalition, especially after Manchin had spoken to the Senior Olympians about the importance of regular exercise and eating a healthy diet.
“He responded by saying that there should be some way to give an incentive to communities that were involved in these programs, and that provided a segway to describe our need to have a wellness facility on par with Hampshire County's facility,” Spiggle said.
“There was no funding solution there, but the Governor was supportive of our efforts.”
Both Spiggle and Pyles said the left the meeting with the Governor feeling very positive and that much had been accomplished.
