I’ll begin with addressing Mayor John Villines. You are correct that Ridgeview News did not reach out to you for a statement. The reason being:
- The City office isn’t open.
- You have refused to answer those who have reached out to you.
- Your staff denied multiple freedom of information requests.
- There is continued growing evidence that you lied in the matter of “not knowing about the alleged theft of the City Police evidence locker and the distribution of that content among staff.”
- The Town of Grantsville is in possession of ARPA funding that does not belong to the City, but rather to the county and for which the City has refused to return that funding to the citizens.
Why is this matter not only the residents of the Town of Grantsville’s concern but the County has a whole?
- The Town of Grantsville is the County Seat of Calhoun County. A matter determined by the citizens of the County. Grantsville officially became the county seat of Calhoun County, West Virginia, in 1869. Its designation as the seat of county government ended a bitter, 13-year dispute with Arnoldsburg over where county offices should be located. The County fought over where the County seat would be… does that not make it “their” concern. Calhoun County’s growth reached a population of 12,455 during the 1940 U.S. Census. That’s a far cry from today’s population of approximately 5,800.
- The business failures and successes of the Town determines what the future holds for our entire county, with special attention to what it holds for the young people.
Multiple Statements were made regarding how embarrassing this matter is.
- Yes, it most assuredly is embarrassing, but does the acknowledgement and reporting of that make it worse? OR should it cause the Community to want to see that it gets corrected? And I will give you my opinion on who’s to blame. Any qualified resident of the Town of Grantsville who didn’t think it was worth their time or effort to run for office. I could make a very long list of residents who have the skills, wisdom and community respect to hold the office of Mayor, Council, and Recorder. It makes me physically sick that those who invested their blood, sweat and tears into the Town of Grantsville did so for an unappreciative, whining, complaining group of do nothings. Are there people who can’t for good reasons hold an office? Certainly, but not everyone. My guess is very few.
Take a cool drink of water, and consider what went into you having that ability.
- If you currently have access to City Water, it also came at the cost of previous Calhoun leaders who invested their own time and money into making it happen. And for a Ridge Dweller that would have to drill to China to get water, I for one am grateful for the ability to turn on the tap. But I will not sit silent when Government officials place my family at risk of losing the service, mismanaging the funding, mismanaging the treatment, over and under billing for service and abusing citizens who dare to question them.
Why Can’t you leave your personal feelings out of it?
- The most ignorant of all statements. Tell me one person who doesn’t have “personal feelings” about how the Government is run. Doesn’t make them right or wrong. But they are for certain warranted. Now… what I do with my personal decisions does matter. I have invested my own time, money, and talents into Ridgeview News. I have the right to express how I feel. And the snarky remarks from former Calhoun residents do not concern me in the least. Your opinion stopped mattering when you moved. How I feel does not change the facts, it’s merely my response to the facts. I am a passionate believer who writes, with the understanding and accountability, that it is only the truth that is worthy of printing and standing on. I print only the truth as I know it. If someone proves to me that the facts I am given are in error, I have corrected that error.” I stand accountable to Jesus Christ. I am far more concerned about my relationship with Him than with you.
Let’s talk about Financials:
- The Town of Grantsville received a considerable rate increase that was going to alleviate all their financial woes. Did it? And where is that increase. According to my sources the amount of monthly funding from the Public Service Districts alone due to be paid to the Town of Grantsville is in excess of $30,000. Not counting the funds from citizens for their bills. The County has handed over thousands of dollars to the Town to bail them out of bankruptcy and yet they have no money. Their own utilities are in arrears and threatening to be disconnected. They have hired additional staff to handle finances that aren’t there. They do not believe they are accountable to anyone. Every single business in the Town of Grantsville should be at the next council meeting (if they can find out when it is) and demand to know why the Town is not defending, serving and working toward a better future for our Community. They should demand the removal of the current administration for malfeasance of office. If these actions are not taken, if the State of West Virginia does not come in and take the Town over, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Can the Governor and State Legislatures be notified to step in?
- They have been notified. Multiple times. And we should remember it when they’re up for re-election.
Revoking the Town’s Charter
- I’ve been told there is no evidence of their ever being one. No access to city records prevents us from knowing.
For the record of what I know to be true: Calhoun County Government has worked daily to repair the damages created by the Town of Grantsville. Are the County officials perfect? Of course not. There is no perfection in the running of a community. We’re all human. But if we’re the best we can be, if we’re honest and held accountable and consider the fact that we are standing before God daily, we can turn this around.
