89% of Mineral County Residents Oppose Zoning

The Question was asked: Should Mineral County put in Zoning to limit private property use? 89% Responded No, while only 5% responded Yes to zoning. The remainder were unsure. The poll was non-scientific conducted during the week of July 26th.

County to waste more taxpayer money on Water Shortage Farce

The on going waste of taxpayer’s money on the fake water shortage continues. As our economic continues to slide deeper into the recession many people are cutting back and saving their money for the future, but for some reason government doesn’t want to do the same thing. This puts an ever increasing burden on the taxpayers when they can least afford it.

The Wednesday addition of the News Tribune reports a WVU student was paid $5,000 as a precursor to a much larger study. The PHC reported last year that “DHHR notified the county they are making available $92,000 to assist with the study.” This $92,000 of taxpayer money is just an assist as the full study is expected to cost somewhere around a quarter million dollars.

This is what the study will tell us: We will find that Piedmont gets its water from Savage River in Maryland, the Elk Garden area gets its water from Grant County, and Ridgeley and Wiley Ford are connected to Cumberland’s water supply for now. This means that many of the people of Mineral County don’t even rely on water from within the county. History will also show that even in the worst drought, the Keyser and New Creek water systems have never ran out of water. Also keep in mind that the Limestone Dam is a water reservoir for the city of Keyser that is no longer used and they can’t seem to empty it, because to much water flows into it. The Mountaintop Water Department commissioned a study which claims that their reservoir contains over 100 million gallons of water and does not drop much even in dry spells.

The study will also find that Jennings Randolph Lake has 41,000 acre feet of water in storage that is enough to supply every man, woman and child with 100 gallons a day for over 13 years if the river stopped flowing today. There is an additional 51,000 acre feet used for water quality management, so we are looking at over 27 years worth of water if it didn’t rain for the next 27 years and nobody in Mineral County uses any of that water now!

The county government is acting very strange and very anti-business on many issues. Consider that the County Commission is not actively supporting the $138 million dollar investment in the county on the Wind Project which will generate an additional $326,591 in taxes for the school system alone as reported by the News Tribune on Wednesday. I cannot understand why the county commission would not actively support the increase in funding to the school system. County Commissioner Spiggle’s wife Betty sent a letter to the Public Service Commission actively opposing the project and can be viewed on the Public Service Commissions website. Commissioner Wayne Spiggle pushed the County Commission to request making US 50 a Scenic Byway which would hinder business. Now it is the water study, which if not done correctly, can be used as a way to restrict business growth and economic growth.

It is time for the County Commission to stop wasting the taxpayer’s money on anti-business policies and water studies. If you want to spend our tax dollars on water, then we believe you should spend it on providing additional water and water safety. Connect the different water systems in the county together, so that in an emergency the separate water systems can help each other. If a chemical truck were to wreck and spill its contents into New Creek, then a connected system would allow Keyser to bring in water from Elk Garden or Piedmont. If water quality becomes and issue in Fort Ashby, then water could be supplied from Fountain or elsewhere in a connected system.

Byway or Bye Economic Opportunity

At the March 26th afternoon meeting of Keyser Rotary Club, the speaker was Karen Allen of West Virginia Department of Highways. She runs the office that takes care of the Scenic Byways in the state. She told the group the benefits of Scenic Byways, the opportunities and the pitfalls. It was a very good presentation with good questions and answers from the public. Mineral County Commissioners Wayne Spiggle (A member of Rotary) and Janice LaRue attended to hear the discussion. The County Commissions from Grant and Hampshire County were invited to attend this Rotary meeting to hear Karen Allen, but did not attend.

At the last US 50 Association meeting held on March 18th, 2009 a surprise addition was added to the meeting agenda at the meeting. The original 3/18/2009 meeting Agenda sent out had no mention of discussing converting US 50 into a Scenic Byway, so the public was unaware it was to be discussed. It was never asked to be put on the agenda for this meeting prior to the start of the meeting. Wayne Spiggle the facilitator was adamant that it was to be discussed at that US 50 meeting, although it is my belief it should have been delayed, so that proper public notice could have been given. Government works best when the public is involved and the public was excluded from this discussion.

In the past the US 50 Association has repeated shown good wisdom when the public was well represented. At the July 21st, 2004, Deb Clatterbuck reported the findings of the Scenic Byway Task Force. It was a sub-committee set to explore the benefits and problems with designating the highway as a Byway. The official minutes show, "There are strict sign regulations such as been brought to light by the George’s Creek Coal Heritage Trail. The Task Force recommends tabling this issue until dual lane and alternate routes can be reviewed which may leave portions of the original roadbeds to be designated as Scenic By-ways." - July 21st, 2004 US 50 Minutes. The problem is businesses are restricted from advertising, which can hurt the local economy. The US 50 Association at that time believed that it was more important to improve the road and improve economic opportunity along the road. Putting the people first it always the best choice.

At the September 20th, 2006 meeting of the US 50 Association Mike Workman from North Central Byways spoke and told the group, "The North Central Byways group has control over signs on both public and private land." - Sept. 20th, 2006 US 50 Minutes. You read that right; a non-elected group can tell you what to do on your private land. Like giving up your 5th Amendment Rights without due process? Dave Price of Preston County, indicted the sign limit was upsetting business owners and asked how the group got the authority. According to the minutes, Karen Allen told the US 50 Association, that the Commissioner of Transportation gave the unelected North Central Byways the power. With the stroke of a pen your rights were gone and chances are you didn't even know.

The problem with the Byway designation is that it can be used as an anti-business tool. Now I have long argued that the Mineral County Commission has been anything, but pro-business. In fact many initiatives put forth by the Mineral County Commission and its agencies over the last 8 to 10 years have been anti-business. Consider this public statement about not letting business in made by then Economic Development Director Casey Lambert 2006, "We have had numerous prospects, but we're not going to let every Tom, Dick and Harry put something in there [Fort Ashby Industrial Park]" - Cumberland Times-News Oct. 5th, 2006

Another thing to look at is the fake water shortage scare created 2 years ago in the county that had people begging to ask for a moratorium on growth. - Potomac Highlands Blog Dec. 3rd, 2007 Had we not broke the story all housing construction in the north end of the county may have been stopped. Fortunately cooler head prevailed when the true got out. Zoning is one of the biggest restrictions to economic growth is coming, "Spiggle said when the county’s comprehensive plan is completed next year, officials could have the power to begin drafting possible zoning ordinances." - Cumberland Times-News Dec. 10th, 2008 After Zoning was enacted in Allegany County, MD in the 1960’s, they lost more than 10,000 people in population. Zoning was one of many factors that devastated the Allegany County economy.

Turning down businesses trying to provide jobs in our area, trying to restrict advertising along US 50 which will adversely effect business growth, creating fake water shortages and implementing zoning are all things designed to stop or reduce business growth in the county. With the population of Mineral County dropping, we cannot afford to restrict business growth in our county. Projections do not show Mineral County exceeding the 2000 population, until at least 2035. - Cumberland Area Long Range Transportation Plan, Sept 28, 2005

Either we have a county commission that is clueless on how an economy works or we have a county commission actively seeking to stop growth and business from coming into the county.

Governor Manchin's Statesmanship

I voted for Russ Weeks last November and I am still proud of that vote because it was a statement against things as usual in West Virginia.

However, we must give credit where it is due. In the past month, Governor Manchin has emerged as a rare bird in state politics. He looks, sounds, and importantly acts like a statesman. As economic indicators drop across the country, he alternates between a Rooseveltian and a Reaganlike tone. Boosting confidence and morale is the job of a leader. Manchin has grasped this concept.

This opinion came to me when I was watching him address the Mineral County delegation on Thursday, February 12. He presented a contrast to the flailing, bumbling, power hungry Democratic president. Where Obama stokes fear, Manchin reassures. Where Obama preaches that government will save us, Manchin asks us to first start saving ourselves. Where Obama has no vision, Manchin tells us that we are not in a panic, but in a planning mode. If we had to have a Democratic president, why could it have not been someone more like this. Of course many assume he is a Republican at heart anyway.

Manchin this week unveiled a mandate demanding that 25% of state production of energy eventually come from some alternative source. This will not hurt the coal industry as energy needs will continue to expand. To the representatives present from US Windforce this was an important boost to their plans to expand windmill production into Mineral County, especially after County Commissioner Wayne Spiggle promised that he and the county would work hard to make all of the Governor's plans successful.

Vision without fear. Policies that emphasize individual effort and private sector initiative. What a welcome change compared to what we have seen from Washington lately.

Shush!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last week the Mineral County Republican Executive Committee voted on a resolution. Very rarely does this body make a specific statement on county policy. However it did encourage the Mineral County Commission "to oppose any additional requirements placed on building construction in Mineral County." This included additional fees and regulations above and beyond the state code.

They did not sacrifice a cat on the courthouse lawn, or anything similarly outrageous but you would not have believed it by the response of the county commissioners. Janice LaRue responded responsibly by saying she would look out for the good of the county rather than simply one political party. Fair enough.

However Cindy Pyles registered her extreme disappointment over the resolution and aimed her comments at two Republicans in particular. "I am really very disappointed in Bob Harman's signature, as a former commissioner," she said. Pyles then named who she thought was the true malefactor of this horrific deed when she stated, "This has the hand writing of Gary Howell all over it."

Horror of horrors and right before Halloween at that! Imagine the gall of Gary Howell, Bob Harman, or the Republican Executive Committee expressing an opinion! It must have been so disappointing for Cindy Pyles to hear a Republican organization expressing its own party's principles of less government and less financial burdens on citizens.

The problem with liberals is that they often see their views as the truth. They feel that if a person just uses their faculties of reason, that they will also arrive at the same conclusions. No room exists for rational disagreement in this world view. If a conservative disagrees they are either uninterested in progressive government, or selfish, or stupid. There is no thought that a conservative could have a valid and reasonable objection.

Conservatives have principles based on reason, logic, and American tradition. They should not let the disappointment of liberal county commissioners dissuade them from speaking their minds on what is right.

Fireworks at the Health Department

Thursday evening the Mineral County Clean up Committee met. Repeatedly discussion erupted into fireworks.

One argument erupted over the proposed use of Raleigh County's derelict and junked property ordinance as a template to be adjusted to Mineral County's circumstances. Gary Howell pointed out that Clyde Burdock consulted the state Attorney General and was told that ordinance contained multiple flaws. Others argued that the ordinance conformed with the state code. Raleigh County also has adopted some of the most restrictive laws in the state concerning citizens' property rights, which includes the taking of private property through eminent domain. Howell proposed that the proposed Mineral County ordinance conform as much as possible to that of Keyser town laws on the same subject. This would reduce confusion for those owning property inside and outside city limits. Kolin Jan at one point asked of Gary Howell what was wrong with the Raleigh County ordinance. Howell responded that it would have the ultimate effect of depriving poor citizens of rights and property.

The motion to use the Raleigh County ordinance as a template failed to carry, sparking frustration among some. Mineral County Commissioner Wayne Spiggle, who abstained from voting, refused to be drawn in when asked by Rev. Daniel Stemple to vote after the votes had been counted. It could have been construed as a conflict of interest and also would have violated parliamentary procedure. Kolin Jan asked Howell why he objected to using the Raleigh County ordinance as a base. Howell replied, the use of Eminent Domain to take private property from low and fixed income land owners that can not afford to comply is wrong. Eventually the committee agreed to use a power point presentation to compare the Raleigh County ordinance, the West Virginia State Code, and the Keyser city laws. Using these examples, the committee could then break down the laws and create a workable and fair ordinance for the county.

Other discussions centered around an ordinance for the legal length of lawn grass in the county. Joe Zacot, and Gary Howell objected strongly to an ordinance for a legal standard for grass length of 1.5 inches proposed by David Isenberg. This led to some attempts to define a farm to exempt them from the 1.5 inches, until the entire discussion was shut down. Such definitions could be problematic as some small property owners bale hay off as little as a few acres for extra money.

The main issue preventing productive work by this committee is the low tolerance for disagreement. All too often voices were raised due to simple opposing points of view. In an atmosphere with angry voices and statements bordering on personal attacks, real progress will not happen. All need to remember that to craft a good law requires time and effort. When people's property and livelihood are in question, care must be taken to get it right. Rushing the matter through will result in bad law. At this point no one is hurt or threatened by junked cars and dilapidated buildings. There is plenty of time for the committee to make sure it does right by the people of Mineral County.

Mineral County Food Police

Today is my fathers 66th birthday and later on today I'm going over to Mom and Dad's and have some cake and ice cream at a traditional celebration. I'm going to eat cake and ice cream with the full knowledge it full of sugar, carbs, fat and other nasty things for me, but it is my choice. I know that I should be eating fruits and vegetables to make a well balanced meal. Growing up my Mom telling me to finish my vegetables was the only Food Police I needed in my life.

In a recent article in the Times-News about the vending machines in the courthouse, County Commission Wayne Spiggle (D) was quoted as saying, " We're enabling a very unhealthy practice right here in our own courthouse. That snack machine is just full of poisons." Enabling and forcing are two different things. I have been known to purchase things out of those vending machines during meetings in the courthouse. Trust me I'm doing it by choice, there are no county deputies there holding a gun to my head saying, "Buy the Twinky."

We don't need the County Commission or Healthy Mineral County Coalition acting as the food police telling the public what we can or cannot eat. I'm all for giving people a choice, by all means put in an additional machine selling healthy food and drinks. Let the free market decide what people eat in the courthouse, and publish which machines generate the most income. Even when faced with a healthy choice people are still going to buy what they want, and not what the government wants them to eat. We are free people that sometimes make unhealthy eating choices, but they are our choices to make.