Friday, July 13, 2007

Recycling Just Not Feasible

In principle, recycling is a good idea. Reusing already processed materials over again can reduce stress on the environment in the form of resource extraction and garbage. However principles must always balance with reality as the Hampshire County Commission has discovered.

When studying the Monongalia County model Hampshire County's leaders concluded that even with a $100,000 start up grant, a program could not maintain itself in the long run. Hampshire shares the same problem as the rest of the Potomac Highlands counties studying this issue. A disbursed and low population combined with prohibitive expenses means recycling end up being an intolerable financial burden. Not to mention that recycling requires more than just the placement of bins. People need to spend time separating the various components and also need to refrain from simply dumping all their garbage in the bins.

Recycling has grown so prevalent around the country that a low level of demand exists for these products. It is not worth the money for a private firm to pick up the materials from rural areas when cities provide a glut. Most local governments also cannot afford to pick up the tab when they cannot even pay enough money to maintain a full complement of sheriff's deputies.

The best hope for the idea of recycling lies in the forms that people can do most easily. Promoting the reuse of plastic containers or glass jars instead of purchasing Tupperware type products is one way. Others recycle old auto parts. They keep non running vehicles on their property for parts to maintain cars that do still run. This conserves valuable metal resources.

However at this point, expecting the taxpayers to pick up the tab for recycling just is not feasible for rural West Virginia counties.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Election 2008 holds importance for a lot of reasons. One of the more interesting issues that we face in this election is a discussion of what it means to be conservative. What issues drive Republicans and conservatives in general?

It boils down to the nominee Republicans select for the presidency. Certainly Rudolph Giuliani has the visibility and experience. His economic credentials indicate that a Giuliani administration will make tough decisions regarding the budget and work back towards balance. The potential leadership Giuliani brings in terms of managing our economy and getting our budget under control could lead to true reforms in social security and the tax code. President Bush pushed these issues hard and gained no traction. Giuliani might succeed where Bush could not in this sphere. Additionally a Giuliani administration likely will support less burdens on business. This would help set the country on a sound economic path for decades to come.

Giuliani appears questionable on the very issues that former Senator Fred Thompson has used to garner strong support. Fred Thompson has strength in economic conservatism, but has also earned the support of social conservatives. The Tennessean strongly opposes abortion and same sex marriages, issues that galvanize conservatives in rural America.

Liberals already speculate that social conservatives would not turn out to support a Giuliani campaign. Perhaps if they nominate a non-entity like Obama that might be the case. Conservatives of all stripes dislike intensely Hillary Clinton and would vote for a dead cat rather than see her in office.

Conservatism in America lies at a crossroads. The nominee Republicans select for the presidency next year will strongly determine what conservatism will look like for a long time to come.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

This Is What Some Mineral County Leaders Want

John Paul Hott is an angry man.

The Petersburg insurance agent recently had his application for rezoning denied by the Petersburg City Council. He wanted a house zoned residential reclassified so that he could operate his business from there. The council listened to neighbors opposed to the location of the business and denied the request.

Apparently the city of Petersburg acted improperly. The mayor and city council were not aware of the existence of a zoning appeals board that was created by ordinance to handle such issues. Hott blasted the city council not only for incompetence in not knowing the law, but also for not recognizing a conflict of interest. Hott maintains that the city council contains members whose interests or whose family's interests conflict with his business.

Some in Mineral County push very hard behind the scenes to incrementally move the area towards zoning. The Petersburg example shows the pitfalls of this process. A legitimate businessman's interests get caught in governmental decision making. Instead of conducting his business to the benefit of himself, his employees, and frankly the city itself, Hott is considering a lawsuit. He might sue because the city did not follow the law in rejecting his application.

It also shows the problems that might occur related to conflicts of interest. Likely the Petersburg City Council operated in good faith. However the potential for striking against a business competitor, or the competitor of a friend or a family member, or maybe someone the official just does not like, is there. Laws are enforced by human beings. Sometimes human beings act responsibly, sometimes incompetently, sometimes dishonestly. Businessmen and women ought to be relieved of having to deal with the strong hand of government as often as possible.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Evacuation Destination

For well over two years now, federal, state, and local authorities have crafted plans to deal with possible major terror attack on Washington D. C. Now millions of dollars may come available to invest in an infrastructure to handle the strain of hundreds of thousands of people pouring into the West Virginia mountains.

We saw how disaster preparedness worked in Louisiana a few years ago. A corrupt city of New Orleans and Louisiana state government misspent money and provided no leadership when hit by a massive hurricane. West Virginia's county, city, and state governments need to figure out not only how to solve problems, but what the biggest problems are likely to be.

Certainly first and foremost we need better infrastructure. Virginia must get on board to link Corridor H to the interstate system or risk creating a dangerous bottleneck that terrorists could strike in a second wave attack. US 50 needs serious upgrades. Even if it ultimately falls short of a four lane expressway, traffic not used to mountain travel needs a road easier to navigate. First responders in the Potomac Highlands need training on how to handle chemical, biological, and radiation related conditions. Predetermined quarantine areas need to be determined as well as where to place the rest of the people fleeing the event.

We need to address all these issues and more. What we do not need is to spend this money in the same old ways. The priorities and methods that have dominated Legislative decision making for over seventy years need to change overall, but especially in this situation. People's lives, evacuees and residents alike, will hang in the balance by the thousands; politicians and planners need to repsect and remember that. Hopefully those that represent the Potomac Highlands and Eastern Panhandle can make others in the state appreciate the potential here for effective deliverance or utter disaster.

Monday, July 9, 2007

US 50's Dorsey's Curve

Last Thursday yet another vehicle crashed on U.S. Route 50 at Dorsey’s Curve. This time no one was killed, but that is not always the case. A remember a few years ago when a couple was killed and their pet dog was taken in my locals and eventually money was raised and the dog was sent to their family in Arizona.

With US 50 the most unsafe highway in West Virginia per vehicle mile driven, Dorsey's Curve stands as one of the best known trouble spots over the route. So at what point does the state begin to hear the public cries to have the turn reconstructed, so it is safe for travel.

The truck that crashed on Thursday was about the same size as the school buses that run that route daily when school is in session. With modern earth moving equipment that turn can be easily modified for safety. Any death on that turn is one to many, but is it going to take a school bus full of kids to crash before public officials respond to the public cry for help.
Wednesday July 18th the US 50 Association will meet at the Cornish Manor in Oakland, MD at 12 noon and both WVDOH and elected officials will be there. Now is the time for state and local officials to hear the citizen's.