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Martin County Water District asks PSC to end oversight
Opponents warn system remains fragile BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Water District is asking the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) to close a long-running oversight case and lift monitoring requirements imposed more than six years ago, arguing that the utility has made significant financial and operational progress under outside management. The…
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McCoy objects to Martin County Water District’s proposed fee and rate hikes: ‘This is cruel’
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Despite objections from one board member, the Martin County Water District is proposing higher meter charges, a higher rate on leak adjustments and new service requirements for customers. Board chairman Tim Thoma presented the proposal during a special meeting Aug. 12. Following a 3-1 vote, the district will…
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Martin County still needs Alliance
BY NINA MCCOY In the wake of our most recent brown water event, people are rightly concerned and looking for answers, and possibly someone to blame. You can be assured the water board and Alliance are working with several entities to figure out what happened, and we will continue to report on what happened and…
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Mural unveiled in Inez honors fight for clean water
Beneath a vivid mural of a woman strumming a banjo as water flows from her figure through green mountains and starry skies, community members gathered Saturday in downtown Inez to celebrate the new public artwork honoring Martin County’s fight for clean, reliable drinking water. Appalachian Pioneer Program founder Austin Shuck commissioned the mural and led…
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McCoy brings water district construction issues to light in Martin County: Leaky clarifier, failed pumps, low reservoir, no storage tank cleaning
Budget, management contract, record low water loss in June BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Water Board member Nina McCoy questioned a series of water district issues in a board meeting July 25. Her questions brought to light current issues and potential future trouble, including leaking clarifiers, failed pumps, a low reservoir…
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Corporate socialism
Editor: Hal Rogers recently awarded the Martin County Fiscal Court $3.1 million to “improve the sewer system.” You’d think free money would be heralded with a public announcement and maybe a parade. Instead, it was quietly awarded by the Big Sandy Area Development District (ADD) at a special meeting called Friday (March 31) afternoon meeting. …
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Metrobilly’s reopens in Inez
“Metrobilly’s is a sometimes soup-and-sandwich joint for artists, activists and their disenfranchised soul mates in waiting.” –Mickey McCoy BY PHILL BARNETTMOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Mickey and Nina McCoy have reopened their renowned coffee shop and restaurant Metrobilly’s for the first time since shuttering its doors at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond the restaurant’s…
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Keep that Christmas spirit
BY NINA MCCOY I would like to address the county about a very important and tough subject, but first I feel a need to express my deep appreciation for the people who worked so hard for the past few weeks (and months) to make our community shine. The recent Christmas celebrations in Warfield and Inez…
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What to do about our pool
BY NINA MCCOY On May 31, a required “public meeting” was held to see what Martin County citizens thought about filling in the county swimming pool and then using the space and $122,787.00 of the taxpayers money to match a $122,787 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund from the National Park Service to…
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Residents oppose filling in county swimming pool
“It is a shame that Martin County was the second-largest coal-producing county in the state, and we don’t have a swimming pool to offer our children in the summer.” –Della Adams Castle BY ROGER SMITHMOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Fiscal Court’s plan to fill in the public swimming pool and replace it with a…
