BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
KERMIT — The West Virginia Public Service Commission gave Kermit’s water improvement project the green light.
Mayor Charles Sparks announced in a Kermit Council meeting Monday that the PSC issued an order Nov. 29 granting a certificate of convenience and necessity and approving the proposed funding for the $3.4 million project.
Kermit is awaiting $2.7 million in Congressional Direct Spending funding secured this year by Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito.
“All we’re waiting on is $2.7 million from Congress,” Sparks said, adding that Kathy Elliott, deputy director of Region 2 Planning and Development Council, was working to receive the $2.7 million through the EPA, which is 80% of the cost.
“Hopefully, we will find the other 20% and won’t need to borrow anything,” added Sparks.
The project will improve the water treatment plant and replace the washed-out main water line along US Route 52 south toward East Kermit. It will also allow for water exchanging water with the Mingo County Public Service District water system in case of emergencies or supply problems.
“It’s a go. Now we just need to get the money, get the bids and get moving on it,” said Sparks.
Economic development update
Kermit’s new volunteer economic development director Gary Hensley has been busy getting to know business property owners around town. He updated the council Monday on his activities, saying he had met with Charlie Mills, who owns the car wash property.
“Charlie’s a good guy,” Hensley said. “He doesn’t know me very well, and I don’t know him very well, so the first couple of visits were just getting to know each other’s personalities. I like him, will continue to work with him and hopefully, we’ll find an avenue where we can work together.”
Hensley also discussed Kermit businessman Davey Jude’s project at the former Fast Lane Tobacco store, which Jude recently purchased. Jude also bought a Giovanni’s franchise last month and is renovating the building. Jude plans to open a Giovanni’s restaurant in February 2023 and house his Southern Valley Insurance company in the building.
“We’re fortunate to have a young man like David in the community,” said Hensley. “He has all kinds of obstacles and figures a way to accomplish them and keep going.”
Council member Wilburn “Hawky” Preece said of Jude, “He’s a smart kid.”
The other council members agreed.
“We all need to buy pizzas from him when he’s done,” remarked Hensley.
The new EDA director mentioned other business and property owners, including Monk Sartin.
“I’m praying about all these opportunities,” said Hensley. “We’ll leave it up to the Lord to guide us.”
Hensley announced plans to meet Wednesday with Mingo County Commissioner Nathan Brown.
“It will probably be a howdy-doody meeting,” said Hensley. “I want to talk to him about funding – and this I don’t know about, so you guys help me. Did we have funding that was targeted for potential projects?”
Preece said the county commission gave Kermit $89,000 for a boat ramp.
“That’s what the bid was. Eric Sartin got the bid,” said Preece. “He was ready. He kept asking them to get the permits so his company could get in the river. They kept putting it off and putting it off until the money ran out.”
The mayor said the Division for Natural Resources prepared drawings of the boat ramp two years ago.
“They also gave us $100,000 to do upgrades in the community,” said Sparks. “I sent five proposals in to them, and they turned all five proposals down.”
That also was two years ago.
“We wanted to put a splash park in, had Thrasher design it and everything,” said Preece.
Council member Tammy Hodge told Hensley the splash park idea was rejected because “It didn’t generate enough jobs – just anything to nitpick.”
Brown was not part of the commission two years ago.
“If anyone will help us, he will,” Council member Anna Mae Sartin Wellman said.
Preece told Hensley the town needed the boat ramp for river rescues.
“I’ll take that as an action item,” stated Hensley.
Other business
In other business, the council:
• Discussed the $400 million settlement that West Virginia cities and counties reached in a lawsuit with three major U.S. drug distributors in August. Wellman asked Sparks if Tish Chafin, legal counsel from Williamson, W.Va., had called lately.
Sparks said he had spoken to Chafin.
“I asked if there were any updates, and she said, “No,’” said Sparks.
“By my understanding, we might get something before the first of the year,” Wellman said.
Sparks said the case settled with Walmart for $3 billion. “The money is there. We’ve just got to wait until they decide to let it go.”
• Voted to give Davey Jude permission to use the back portion of the alley between his new business location and the gas company.
“He’s got to build a 12×20 room to put a cooler/freezer in there,” Sparks told the council. “We don’t use that. It’s of no benefit to us. It’s not been used in a hundred years.”
The mayor will talk to the town’s attorney about deeding the property to Jude and report back to the council.
“We’ve got to expand and grow,” said Sparks.
• Discussed a potential trail system in Kermit.
• Accepted a bid for $24,000 secured by the state auditor from BHM CPA Group Inc.
• The mayor announced that he would complete a survey for grant funding from the DEP to clean up dilapidated properties.