County Commission To Consider Support of Board Property Giveaway

 

The Pocahontas County Commission once owned the Slaven Property.  They then gave it away to the Pocahontas County Board of Education.  The Board of Education has determined that the may not need the Slaven property despite the fact that they have no idea where to get the money for the Marlinton school sprinkler system  They were turned down for a grant. AND THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO GET THE MONEY FOR THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM.     The Pocahontas Commentator has suggested that they sell the Slaven property at a min. bid of $250,000 at public auction.  They have a guaranteed bidder for the property, Jacob  Meck.  They may have even more which would like to bid on the property too at the auction.

Jacob Meck wants the Board to give the property to the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation who may then sell him the property or give him a 99 year lease.  He already has acreage that he pays $50 per month to the GVEDC.  Regardless, the GVEDC makes arrangements on deals like this so that the revenue flows to Monroe and Greenbrier County as well as Pocahontas.  They currently have a deal like this with Interstate Lumber Company who pays them $8,000 per month for county property at the Durbin industrial site.  Meck will likely get a bonus tax exemption for the property.

The county commission got not one red cent from the portion of the property then gave GVEDC for the establishment of Meck's solid waste center, car crusher, and storage facility.  The board is considering giving away 90 more acres of the Slaven Property to be transferred from GVEDC to Meck's enterprises.

The Board of Education stands to make nothing from the transfer of this property at all despite the desperate need for revenue.

 The health and safety of our children depend upon this sprinkler system  Failure to comply could lead to closure of Marlinton Elementary School,  SO WHY NOT SELL THE SLAVEN PROPERTY AT PUBLIC AUCTION WITH A MIN. BID OF $250,000.  

They have a guaranteed bidder.  

The proposed transfer is a "straw" deal.  It is an indirect way of giving it to Jacob Meck.  It is designed to bypass the legal requirements for a public auction and to transfer public property into private hands.

October 20, 2020

Regular Session

 

5:30 pm.     Discussion and/or Action – Exoneration Orders; Approval of Minutes.  

5:35 pm.     Public Input/Hear Callers. 

5:40 pm.     Discussion and/or Action-Greenbrier Valley Economic Development                                                                  Corporation-Letter of Support in re: Pocahontas County Board of Education Real Estate.

5:50 pm.     Pocahontas County Circuit Clerk Connie Carr – Discussion and/or Action-Approval of                                  Resolution in Support of Records Management and Preservation Board Grant 2021-2022.

6:00 pm.     911 Director Mike O’Brien – Discussion and/or Action- Opening/Awarding Bid for                                        Excavating, Etc. to Pocahontas County 911 Parking Lot.

6:00 pm.     Pocahontas County Board of Assessment Appeals – Hearing in re: Silver Creek Association,                        Inc. Various Parcels of Real Estate.

 

    OTHER AGENDA ITEMS

                    (The following agenda items have not been assigned a time slot but will be addressed                                  during today’s meeting.)

 

1.       Discussion and/or Action – Approve Final Settlements and Orders.

2.       County Commission Mail Items/Concerns.

3.       Approve Invoices.