Who is in charge of our county's future?

I think the County Commission should be 'in charge'. After all, 'they' are elected directly by us. Over time, other agencies and appointed officials have usurped the 'will of the people' with proposals, plans and projects that the commissioners sometimes have little knowledge of or say in.

For example, the Region IV Development Council is a quasi-governmental board comprised of appointed officials. Some are appointed by the County Commission president and some are appointed by the state. This council meets far away from Pocahontas County and is involved in many projects in our county. Region IV actually gets a commission or fee for the projects they are involved with. The result may be that their vested interest is in the project VS the community.

Also, some boards appointed by the County Commission seem to be reactive instead of proactive. In other words, they seem to 'react' to proposals introduced to them by Region IV and/or engineering companies who come to them 'offering' this or that project.

What's wrong with any of this? Well, the County Commission and their appointed boards are elected and put in place so that THEY can use THEIR knowledge of the county and its people and OUR needs to determine what projects we should tackle. The intended result would be that after such an assessment, THEN the agencies set up by the state and federal government are brought in to ASSIST. Instead, it is often these non-elected, outside agencies and companies that become the drivers of projects and thus, essentially, our planners.

In my mind, there should be one sieve through which all projects and plans for our county should pass before outside help is brought in to help out. This review by the County Commission might keep unnecessary or burdensome projects that are brought to our doorstep by outsiders out and enable the Commission to understand and participate more fully in shaping our future.

Martin
Another board is just another level or board that would have to be watched by the CC who is supposed to be in charge of County business.
The best thing that could happen would be to either do as Tom has suggested or do away with all those boards completely. If the extra work losd then put on the CC is too much for 3 people to handle increase the number of elected members of the CC. The CC is suppose to be the voice of the people NOT these appointed boards. Those Boards have been the biggest cause of the problems that has faced Po Co. You know that the PSD, a board that has no capitol, has saddled the taxpayer in Po Co with a hugh debt load. Yet they citizens when they tried to reign them in got ignored. Too much power for a non-elected entity. You talk about planning, it needs to stay in house with the CC in control and in essences the people in control.

Taking over Snowshoe Sewer by the PSD would be another Howes Leather Company and we all know how brilliant that was..................

Linda
Yes that would be part of it. I would suggest at the same tine increasing the number of CC to handle the load. But you must remember that it was not the CC that got this fiasco going. It was that non-elected PSD board. A board that could not be controlled by the people. By the time anyone knew about the PSD plan it was well under way. The only other suggestion I would make if that was not acceptable would be to require all the CC members to be at every appointed board that they appoint. AND that during each and every one of these meeting the CC have the right to veto any question to brought up by these boards on the spot.

Mr. Saffer,what is your view point regarding the incorporated status of Durbin? Is incorporation useful today? Was it ever?Does the town need street lights any more than Frank or Bartow?What happens to the wastewater treatment facility if Durbin does vote for non-incorporation?What is the state of cleanliness in the Greenbrier River at Durbin? Should kids be allowed to swim in it?Does the Health Department check the coliform count? ?Do you think the commission neglects the northern part of the county?

Is there somehing Freudian about Pocahontas Co. and sewers?That issue was the topic for months at Slaty Fork, and to a much lesser degree ,it must be said, at Durbin. So, I hope to avoid it except to see what our commissioner thinks about the town charging those not hooked to the sewer the same amount that it charges the users.I would like to hear him as a lawayer and commissioner,expound on the issue of incorporation and how a town goes about changing it. Also, just a thumnail sketch on just how Durbin gets the money to pay for town government. Tthanks for any information on the topics.

Thank you Martin,but I do not agree: Durbin does have the old town look which could be made into a tourist attraction,but it does not need a tax wasting council and mayor for this: A group of local volunteers would work better,especially if drawn from the northern area of the county . The county commission or Parks and Recreation would have to promulgate and oversee such an attraction.The unstable and fractious council could not bring this about at all.You can see what they have done with the wastewater issue and Durbin Days. Valley Bend, Dailey , East Dailey have the Homestead, Eleanor Roosevelt Homecoming Celebration,: They have never been a corporation., though many times bigger than Durbin.While tiny Helvetia carries out the Swiss theme,they also do so without being being a corporation. Many years ago, when lumber Jacks poured into Durbin ,with drinking , fighting ,disturbing the piece, a local government was needed because it took hours to go to Marlinton to get the Sheriff.Today, though, the county takes care of law and order in Durbin, oversees sanitation matters, takes care of land disputes , provides some recreation and culture.Money sent back to Durbin from the tax department goes for what public good? One of your contemporaries told me that the only advantage in living in Durbin rather than in Frank or Bartow,are leash laws and street lights. As you know, leash laws are not enforced and the incorporation status actually inhibits the dog warden from coming to Durbin. Since Frank has no street lights, Durbin should not have them either. They waste energy and money,lighting up areas where no one walks at night. So Durbin property owners pay 5 percent more for no discernable good. A record of council meetings is available which shows the unprofessional conduct, causing great mirth throughout. It is a prime reason why it should be dissolved.Durbin would prosper without it.