Published: February 07, 2008 02:00 am

Enhanced wireless service in northern end of county one step closer to reality

FAIRMONT — Enhanced wireless service in the northern end of the county moved one step closer to becoming a reality Wednesday.

The Marion County commissioners approved a grant agreement with the state’s Public Service Commission for the construction of a wireless communication tower at Curtisville Lake.

The state will be providing $300,000 in grant money for the project, and the county will provide $30,000 in matching funds, according to Alan Parks, commission president.

The commissioners have been working closely with Central Communications employees to secure the grant funding over the past several weeks.

Commissioner Randy Elliott stressed the importance of having wireless communications in the northern end of Marion. He pointed to coal mines in that area to illustrate that point.

“A communication tower at Curtisville could do nothing but help in the event that something would happen at the mines,” Elliott said.

Elliott added that he believed the tower would also help emergency-service responders in the event of auto accidents along Route 250 north of Fairmont. The Mannington Volunteer Fire Department provides services to one-third of the county.

“Communications is very important to emergency services, especially fire departments,” he said. “That tower would be a great benefit to the North Marion area.”

The commissioners also accepted a $1.5 million Small Cities Block Grant funding to help provide extended water service to residents of Brink, Curtisville and Metz. The project would provide water service to approximately 264 residents, Parks said.

Gov. Joe Manchin sent a letter to the commission confirming the award. In the letter, Manchin stated that $200,000 of the $1.5 million will be committed from the 2007 fiscal year budget. The remainder of the funding will be provided in the future, pending the county’s ability to proceed with the project, according to the letter.

“I encourage you to expedite this project and reach its completion as quickly as possible with this funding strategy in mind,” the letter reads.

Parks added that he believes the water project will also help with future business development in northern Marion as well as provide water to citizens.

Two youth organizations attended the commission meeting to discuss projects around the county.

Members of the Marion County Youth Leadership were on hand to request $500 for Project Fine Arts. The community-service project would be utilized to encourage fine-art appreciation in sixth-graders in the county, said Kathryn Shields, a junior at Fairmont Senior High School who spoke for the group.

The group will meet with selected sixth-graders once a week, Shields said. Each of the sixth-graders will be exposed to five different areas of art, such as visual art, creative writing, vocal music, instrumental music and theater. Shields added that children who participate in art at least three hours three days a week are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement.

“I move that we grant the request to help foster intelligence and improve interest in arts,” said Commissioner Wayne Stutler.

The commissioners agreed. They unanimously approved the request for $500.

Members of Marion County Volunteers Offering Instruction on Character Education also attended the meeting to ask that they be placed on the commission’s yearly budget for $5,000. The money would be used to help fund two camps for at-risk middle school students. The camps are held in the spring and fall, said V.O.I.C.E. member Nickie Ambrozak, a senior at FSHS. The funding would be used to pay for travel expenses for the campers, food, supplies and other miscellaneous costs, Ambrozak said.

“This is a worthwhile program,” Parks said.

Parks stated that the request would be considered by commissioners during their budget process. The organization is made up of students from all high schools across the county.

The commissioners also moved $25,000 from the county’s Coal Severance Fund into the revolving loan fund. The money will then be provided to Monongah to help fund repairs to the water plant.

The commissioners also approved a request by Carolyn Ledsome, Central Communications director, to remove an employee from the center. The commissioners also accepted funding from the West Virginia Community Participation Program in the amount of $2,400 on behalf of the Grangeville Community Association. The money will be used to replace the roof at the Grangeville Community Center.

The commissioners also held a public hearing concerning the closure of an unused 14-foot-wide alley in the Montana sub division in the Winfield District of the county. The commissioners granted the request. However, the commissioners agreed to the proposal with the stipulation that the right of way for utilities will remain in the county’s control.

E-mail Paul Fallon at pfallon@timeswv.com.