The Mt. Zion PSD Board has had a recent overturn of staff that has created quite the stir among the current two member board. Thursday’s meeting, packed shoulder to shoulder with PSD Board, PSD staff and PSD affiliates from the Mid Ohio Valley Regional Council, WV Rural Water Association, Dunn/Thrasher Engineering and others met at 2 p.m. in the office on Mt. Zion Ridge. The previous plans to move to the Grantsville Town office fell through when a shared secretary with the Plesant Hill PSD resigned from the Mt. Zion PSD side of the organization. The office will remain at 4418 South Calhoun Highway, Mt. Zion. (more below)
The meeting was lead by Anita Eagle, Board Chair.
Jake Frady of the MOVRC informed the PSD that funding was in place for a current water project, they are now waiting for the Congressional Funding hoping to break ground at some point in 2024. Ms. Eagle then signed off on a Operating Resolution for the DEP so that work for the water and sewer projects could move forward.
The Board accepted the resignation of Stehanie Good from the Office staff who was replaced by Iona Rhodes. Ms. Eagle is training Ms. Rhodes for the position.
The Mt. Zion PSD will once again put forth a funding request list to the Calhoun County Commission for items previously requested that had yet to be obtained.
Ms. Eagle apologized for having no current updates on the CITCO billing and software company project but will work to provide one. She then stated that the audits for the Mt. Zion PSD years of 2021 and 2022 were complete and received. The annual report for 2023 was drafted by Stephanie Good and awaits action by Michael Griffith, of Griffith and Associates accounting firm.
Operator Jeremy Westfall was asked about the required reporting notices and responded that all reporting issues were resolved and an oversight had occurred in Charleston. No further discussion on the matter took place. The ongoing saga of the consolidation of the Mt. Zion and Pleasant Hill PSD continues following the decision not to share office space. Bills were received in both locations causing undue late charges to be assessed which was said to be corrected.
Following the un-acknowledged issues with failed water results, there was apparently information overheard in the Grantsville office involving the former secretary and a former board member regarding the issue of e.coli being found in the water in the area of Russett Road. Following that both parties resigned. The issue is the secretary, Stephanie Good, was the daughter of Board member Robin Hughes. Following the incident social media posts occurred suggesting that Mrs. Good had made an adjustment to her mother’s water bill due to a leak that was unwarranted. Mrs. Hughes then called the ethics commission with an allegation of nepitism at the Mt. Zion Water office because current secretary, Iona Rhodes, resides with Operator Jeremy Westfall. Mrs. Hughes requested that this matter be addressed in writing that the family connection was not an issue. She further requested a retraction because the leak adjustment that she had received was supposedly legitmate due to a change in the WV water codes. Previously any adjustment made had to come from an outside leak, not an inside issue, but according to Robin Hughes this matter has been changed to both inside and outside the dwelling.
Iona Rhodes, who attended training with Stephanie Good said that it was not the case.
The final discussion was on the rate increase that will come into effect on the October billing cycle. The minimum bill will now be $44.16 for the first 2,000 gallons and go up accordingly as water use is increased.
The meeting was adjourned and the next meeting will be October 2nd, at 2:00 p.m. at the Mt. Zion office.
I wasn’t aware of the change but cool to know that a water leak inside or outside your home will be taken care of by the water dept.