The Calhoun County Commission held a special meeting on the 28th of June, 2023 for the purpose of discussing reallocating $1.2 Million in ARPA funds that had been slated for broadband last year. Present were Commissioners Craig Arthur, Matt Walker and Kevin Helmick.
Businessman Eric Lupardus addressed the Commission to speak on the future of Calhoun County. Citing dismal statists, Lupardus said that Calhoun is the 3rd least populated County in the State of West Virginia. Suffering from a 26% decline. “A large portion of our citizens do not have water and addiction is on the rise,” he said. Noting that the State overall is seeing a revitalization and the local Bootstraps Project continues to make great strides to create opportunities for the County, but we need to create opportunities for the County. He encouraged the commission to look for opportunities to promote tourism in our area and to bring the necessary infrastructure to encourage businesses to come our community.
Lupardus asked specifically that the Commission commit the money from the ARPA funds toward water projects and addiction recovery. He asked them to rebuild the Calhoun Sheriff’s Department that was now being operated (and had for sometime) without Deputies. “It’s about time we have a fully operational Sheriff’s Department.”
He continued by saying that “Senator Ben Queen and Delegate Roger Hanshaw have said they’d be willing to help. It’s time to get rid of the third world country view point. We are one of the last county’s in the country economically. It’s east to get into the State house. We need to move this community forward and leave a legacy behind.”
Eric Ritchie, Chief Operational Officer speaking on behalf of Minnie Hamilton was second to address the Commission in hopes of receiving ARPA funding for their current Hospital expansion. Ritchie informed the Commission that Minnie Hamilton was built in the early 60’s with two wings added in the 70’s. It is now beginning to experience infrastructure failure having had sanitary line issues causing the necessary shut down of departments. Through the Covid experience they were able to evaluate where the building was out of compliance. With multiple issues Minnie Hamilton looked at building an entirely new facility which would come with a $40 million price tag. Their solution was to renovate the part of the building that was built in the 1960’s which will cost just shy of $20 million dollars. The organization have met with Delegate Hanshaw, Senators Queen and Jeffries as well as organizations such as the USDA to garner grant funding. They’ve been awarded $4 million for phase 1 of the project but still lack $800,000 to complete that part of the project. For phase 2 that applied by working with the USDA for a 30 year loan in the amount of $7 million.
Ritchie told the Commissioners that they believe this is the County’s opportunity to make a nominal investment into the Hospital which has been encouraged by other funding agencies. To fully fund the project will be $19.8 million. They are two weeks away from beginning construction.
Commissioner Helmick asked if the requested $777,000 in ARPA funding would take care of the $19 million project? Ritchie responded that it would only complete the sanitary lines of phase 1. New lines will be installed around the outside the building followed by tunneling under the building and into two rooms allowing easier infection control for the hospital during construction and less patient impact.
Commissioner Walker asked, if the Commission could not fund the entire $777,000, had they used all of their other resources for funding. CEO Steve Whited answered saying that if they did not have this funding it would be pushed off to another phase and that the Nursing Home would be greatly impacted.
Crystal Mersh of the 1982 Foundation asked if the expansion of the facility would also expand services to which Whited informed that it will expand the emergency, outpatient services, and behavioral health. They are trying to get into the position to be able to provide dialysis. When Mersh asked if Addiction recovery would be a part of that, Whited said that with current Legislative changes admittance of patients for that need is allowed and the hospital is working to have the ability to have units for local treatment.
Both Public Service Districts had staff available to speak to the needs of the county water systems. Board Member Tammy Yoak of the Pleasant Hill PSD expressed to the Commission that water is extremely important and everyone deserves to have it. She expressed how overwhelmed she felt with situation coming in as a newly appointed PSD Board Member and realizing that the Normanridge Project, which has been 10 years in the making, was being held up by 7 years of incomplete audits (costing $26,000) by the previous PSD Board. Pleasant Hill’s request for the available ARPA funding was to pay for the 7 years of back audits, air mapping, repairing or replacing the Big Springs booster Station, generator, and Operational equipment such as a UTV to travel impassable roads and a shared box trailer for hauling line repair materials.
Yoak told the Commission that before we considered expansion of the water system we needed to take care of the current infrastructure.
Mt. Zion PSD members, Robin Hughes, Lori Garrett and Anita West appeared requesting help in the amount of $416,805 that included the purchase of an F450 utility truck, generator and sewer upgrades.
Annamoriah resident Charlotte Blair knows the hardships of not having water. She appeared in January before the commission to request their consideration of expanding Water Service to the Route 5 west location and presented the names of over 30 customers willing to sign onto the project. When hearing Tammy Yoak say that the expansion should not currently be considered Blair asked if they were saying that the Annamoriah project could not be done?
Commissioner Craig arthur answered that of course we need the upgrades what would expedite the project but he further stated that the Commission needs to think ahead, “Which we’ve not been known for,” he noted. His desire is to meet with State leaders where there is a possibility of a 1-4 match in funding assistance.
Anthony Woods of the state Auditor’s Office provides advice on the use of ARPA funds and attended by phone. When asked about the timeline on funding he stated that the $1.2 million dollars has to be committed to a project by 2024 and spent by 2026.
Commission Walker followed by saying there has to be a cost estimate, an engineer, more discussion with Luke Peters. If we have so many issues, we have to take care of those matters regarding the Water expansion.
Blair continued in frustration to speak of how those involved in the Normanridge Project had dropped the ball. “Minnie Hamilton could be full of people infected with poor drinking water. I’m tired of having to carry water to cook. People are hauling water left and right and have for years. When is this Government Gravy Train of funding going to run out. This is an emergency. I hear a lot of talk, but I’m seeing no action!”
Commissioner Arthur said “It’s plain and simple we dropped the ball and we have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Crystal Mersh reminded the Commission that there were recommendation made 6-8 months ago to transfer the broadband money and that it was he Commission responsibility to oversee these Boards and projects. .
Anita West of the Mt. Zion PSD spoke up saying that “It’s only your responsibility to appoint the board.” However, the West Virginia Code in Chapter 7, Article 1, Section 3 says of the Jurisdiction powers and duties of county Commissions: §7-1-3. Jurisdiction, powers and duties. The county commissions, shall also, under the rules as now are or may be prescribed by law, have the superintendence and administration of the internal police and fiscal affairs of their counties.
Crystal Mersh, who has been very active in the Community’s economic growth and keeping in contact with State leaders, spoke again saying that we needed to speak with Delegate Hanshaw who has told us there were funding matches. She then asked the Commission how much money was in the County’s account. The response was $897,000 in general and $450,000 in the “slush fund.”
Commissioner Walker said that he was open to a meeting to which Mersh replied “They’ve said we need to have a plan, what is it?”
Melissa West, of the Calhoun Chronicle spoke to the Commissioners saying that if a child doesn’t have water, CPS can remove those children from a home. Minnie Hamilton is important, but the water should be first priority.
Commissioner Helmick stated that the State would only help where there were so many houses per mile. This caused Charlotte Blair to question why Sassafras Ridge received water when there didn’t appear to be that many house in that area. Helmick’s response was that the water was going to a county park. This caused concern for Arthur that a park location was considered more important than a main route.
Former Judge Larry whited asked if anyone contacted the Governor’s office regarding their Contingency fund? No answer was given.
Steve Whited returned to the floor saying that from the water perspective, its likely there won’t be any funding until the consolidation is done, citing his concern that the water projects would fail to meet the time constraints because of the DEP and USDA’s threats to withhold funding if the consolidation didn’t occur.
Mt. Zion PSD also requested a centrally located office stating the substandard conditions of the current offices and the need for one combined office.
