BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Historic Martin County Courthouse has reopened after being temporarily closed last year to await permits.
“It’s open for business,” Martin County Tourism chairperson Nita Collier announced Monday in a Tourism Commission meeting.
The commissioners voted to contract with Kendra Fletcher to manage events.
Collier said Fletcher would advertise and let people know how to contact her. In the meantime, she suggested anyone needing to reach Fletcher should call the Martin County Judge’s office at 606-298-2800 and get connected that way.
Fletcher will receive 30% of event profits for her services.
Rental prices for the event venue are:
• Courtroom for two days Friday-Saturday – $500
• Courtroom, bridal and groom suites and dining room for two days – $1,200
• Dining room only – $300.
Trail system moving forward
Commissioner Jarrod Slone showed a drawing from a study by the Thrasher Group in West Virginia that Friends of the Tug Fork River had done “a few years ago.”
“They examined sites in Kentucky and West Virginia and did mock-ups and designs for revamping multiple sites,” Slone said. “The Warfield Boat Ramp was one of those. And you can see where the existing ramp is.”
According to Slone, improvements would include the parking lot, remodeling of the caboose, a wayfinding kiosk, a walkway with benches and picnic tables and a walkway over to a pier that would overlook the river where people could fish or sit and have lunch.
“I was thinking we should meet with [Deputy Judge Carolea Mills] to see if we could get a grant for this,” said Slone. “Hopefully, Tug River will be designated as a blue trail in the future, and we need to start getting on top of it.”
Collier suggested Slone type up a proposal and give it to Mills.
“I really have a vision for that area,” said Slone. “This would be phase 1, and phase 2 would be the old transfer station. They could install four or five RV campsites there. It has water and power and is sewer accessible.”
Collier said the next step on the trail system would be a public meeting.
“That’s something Carolea is working on to get scheduled to bring the property owners in,” added Collier.
Slone confirmed that First Frontier Appalachian Trails/Kentucky Mountain Regional Recreational Authority was waiting for information from other meetings. Then the next step would be the public meeting.
According to Collier, the fiscal court will need to do ordinances, one of which would destinate what blacktopped roads would be ATV-accessible.
“We need to look at where the businesses are,” said Collier, adding that the county attorney was reviewing the county ordinances.
“That’s where we are on that,” she said.