By CHARLES OWENS
PRINCETON — Local and state officials say they have identified the immediate and long-term priorities for Mercer County.
Among the immediate goals discussed by lawmakers and Mercer County officials during their legislative visit this week was securing $84,000 in funding to prepare a building at the Cumberland Industrial Park for possible occupancy; securing $100,000 in funding to hire a coordinator to help lay the groundwork for the proposed multi-purpose equestrian park in Mercer County; and securing housing and new camping sites near Bramwell and Matoaka for the new Mercer County-segment of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails; and working together with state and federal officials to restore some form of commercial air service to the Mercer County Airport.
Wednesday’s meeting was requested by Senate Majority Leader H. Truman Chafin, D-Mingo, who was joined by Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth, R-Mercer, Delegate John Shott, R-Mercer, and Sen. Jesse Guills, R-Greenbrier. A number of local officials, including County Commissioners Jay Mills, Joe Coburn and Karen Dissibio; Mercer County Development Authority Executive Director Janet Bailey; McDowell County Economic Development Director Rachel Lester; Hatfield-McCoy Trails Executive Director Jeff Lusk; Tom Hall, president of the Mercer County Development Authority, David Cole with the Region One Planning and Development Council; and several others who participated in the meeting.
“We know we need the $100,000 for the equine position, and the $84,000 Janet needs to fix that industrial park building,” Chafin, who requested the gathering earlier this month following a meeting with members of the Daily Telegraph’s editorial board, said. “And Jeff Lusk was very helpful. He gave us a report on a possible housing center. Those trail riders like cabins. Jeff (Lusk) said when the trails open in Mercer County, Bramwell will be one of the stars in the trail system, as well as Matoaka. He thinks all of the hotels in Mercer County will see an increase in business from the travelers coming in on I-77. He (Lusk) thinks Mercer County will be one of the gems due to the accessibility of the interstate, and people coming down from the south and Midwest. We also talked about the old Bramwell High School, and that there would be a lot of opportunities there. Bramwell has already got a really good outdoor park there for entertainment.”
Bailey said she is confident a new tenant can be found for the 50,000 square foot building at the Cumberland Industrial Park if funding can be secured for the construction of a fire wall.
“We’ve had several prospects or prospective tenants for the building, but we can’t lease that until we can build a two-hour — the fire marshal calls it a two-hour burn wall that separates the tenants,” Bailey said. “That’s been something of a problem for us because we didn’t have the money to build the fire wall.”
Bailey said the Hatfield-McCoy Trails is a project with tremendous potential for Mercer County.
“We have business folks that are looking now at building cabins, and possible motels, in and around the trail head that will be opening in Bramwell,” Bailey said.
Bailey said a campground — similar to one already operational in McDowell County near the Indian Ridge leg of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails — also is envisioned for Mercer County.
Chafin said the goal of the meeting was to bring everyone together and to make sure they are working on the same page for the betterment of Mercer and McDowell counties.
“McDowell and Mercer are so tied together in terms of the buses we have that runs up there, the doctors, etc.,” Chafin said. “And the trails are going to hook us up together. It’s more a regional concept. What is good for McDowell is good for Mercer, and vice versa. I just appreciate everyone coming up.”
While there has been little news to report as of late, Chafin said local and state officials remain committed to finding some form of commercial air service at the Mercer County Airport. Chafin, who believes federal stimulus funding could be available to help with the restoration of air-service, says he plans on getting U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., involved in the discussions.
“The state aeronautics commission, and (director) Susan Chernenko, is very supportive of getting a carrier to come in and connect Bluefield with Huntington and Charleston,” Chafin said. “We know we would have to subsidize it for a year or a year-and-a-half. It has to be a state and federal partnership.”
— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com
