To the citizens of Calhoun County: A couple of months back I was attending a council meeting about the water situation in Calhoun County and afterward , during a quiet time, I got what I call a “snapshot” and the following proposal came into place. It is a long term approach that is what I believe a small step forward in the continuing development of Calhoun County. I gave the following to Mayor Bob and Commissioner Arthur. They in turn gave it to Charlotte Lane who suggested that it be given to Roger Hanshaw. I sent it to him and he gave a positive reply quickly. His response was that projects such as this need commitment from our elected officials. He is right. The reason I am sharing this is to show that everyone has ideas and opinions. Every citizen has a voice. Everyone can also make things that concern them happen if we can share it and have positive feedback as to its validity. So hopefully this is a start. My hope is for everyone to say yes, no, maybe, need more info, change this or that, or whatever. So I hope to get your feedback so the commissioners can present it if we all agree. They need feedback on things too. It is easy to criticize but someone has to make decisions based on the information they have. Help them help us. I will be sending copies of this to all the commissioners and candidates, Mayor Bob and the city Council – Emily, Emalee, Cheryl, Linda and Rissa, as well as to the 1982 Foundation , then the Calhoun Chronicle, Ridgeview News, Two Lane Living , twolanelivin.com.
and other open forums for feedback. Especially send feedback to “Calhoun County WV County Commission”. Or Townofgrantsvillemunicipality@squarespace.com. Commissioners Arthur and Helmick are on board, Commissioner Probst reply is expected once he decides its worth. Hoping the others will be after they receive it. Your voice matters. But it takes all of us. So here is the proposal. Thank you all for Calhoun County pride. Long Term West Virgina Water Management And Training Proposal West Virginia , especially their rural counties, have had a history of water issues, including, but not limited to, water quality, supply vulnerability and contamination. Along with training and retaining trained workers. It is our belief, that we can overcome and manage these issues , in cooperation with state input and funding, to the benefit of all West Virginians. Calhoun County, is in what we feel to be, in a unique position to help. Again, this is just a proposal to gauge interest and if it is deemed feasible, we can put together a detailed plan with hard numbers and all the required parties consent. In that vein, we will only interject briefly some of the main idea: Calhoun County, like most rural communities, struggle to train and retain qualified water personnel. But Calhoun is well positioned in several respects. We have Glenville State University and Career centers. By using either one or both, we can develop a water training program that will allow prospective employees and students to choose the career path of their choice. For the most immediate impact, we propose to develop with the career center to train both current workers and prospective students in all phases of water and wastewater plant operations, including but not limited to water treatment and sewage plant maintenance, leak detection and pipe replacement , water main installation and repair , and all other skills necessary to maintain and keep the plant in operation. For those interested going beyond , we suggest that we partner with Glenville State and or WVU to develop a program in Water and Waste Water Science. Those students could, depending on career objectives, pursue either an A.A. degree or Bachelors degree . Theses students would still get the benefits of attending the career center by having to complete their curriculum, but would also complete advanced studies. Courses could include engineering related to water delivery and chemical treatments, etc, as well as managerial other support deemed by professional educators and trainers. By training students on site, part of their training would include hands on operation in the actual plants, plus possible summer jobs working as operators in training gaining valuable hours which could be applied to certification. For seasoned workers, classes could be offered that could train in the latest technology and legalities. For university students, a minor in Water Science could also be possible. West Virginia has the highest water rates in the country, in part, due to lack of trained workers and infrastructure. This basic proposal is just that. A starting point to address long -term solutions to issues that water facilities face on a daily basis. It will take the cooperation and coordination of governmental institutions and lawmakers to the educators and water plants. If feasible, our county , with governmental affirmation, would be privileged to enter into the above named entities to gauge their interest in such an endeavor. We leave that up to those who have that decision making ability. Thank you for your time. Calhoun County.
