MORGANTOWN — Mon River Trails Conservancy (MRTC) Director Ella Belling has asked the Monongalia County Commission for one-time, emergency assistance in dealing with a series of slides impacting the area’s rail-trail system.
Belling explained that the consistent and extended periods of rain the area has experienced in recent months have left an estimated $27,000 in damages to the trail’s surface and drainage system. She asked the commission for $10,000 toward that total.
“I’m not sure how aware people are of how that impact hits our rail trails, but it’s been a very rough year on us,” Belling said of the wet weather.
In particular, Belling said the funds will be used to address a major slide on the Mon River Rail-Trail south, just outside Morgantown’s city boundaries. This includes a slide at mile 12, north of Uffington, as well as repairs between Uffington and Little Falls. She said there is also flooding and wash-outs near the Hildebrand Lock and Dam.
She said MRTC has already spent nearly $10,000 addressing similar issues in-house, depleting the majority of its regular maintenance funding.
MRTC has also reached out to Your Community Foundation, Dominion Energy and the Chingos Foundation for assistance. Belling said she’s also contacted the West Virginia Division of Highways (DOH) and the state railroad authority.
Barring any further assistance, the nonprofit will attempt to cover the remaining $17,000 out of unrestricted funds in its existing budget and through levy funds not already committed to routine maintenance.
MRTC receives $80,000 annually for operations and maintenance from a five-year parks and trails levy passed by county voters in 2016.
Belling said her hope is to get the work contracted out in the next week or so, before the conditions deteriorate further. She said MRTC has been diligently monitoring the impacted rail sections and has been able to keep them open to this point.
“This is a one-time, emergency request,” Belling said, noting she’d much rather discuss MRTC’s recent positive news, including trail extensions and amenities. “There’s been some amazing successes. It’s unfortunate I’m coming to you with a hard ask.”
As the issue didn’t appear on the meeting agenda and was presented as public comment, the commission said it would take up the request as part of a work session.
In other news, County Clerk Carye Blaney said voter registrations are coming into her office at a “feverish pace.”
“We have started absentee balloting and have processed almost 100 absentee ballots so far,” Blaney said. “Early voting will begin on October 24.”
The clerk’s office will conduct public testing of election equipment at 1 p.m. Oct. 17 in the county’s Mountaineer Mall election center.
Lastly, Commission President Tom Bloom said the DOH has hired a new District 4 engineer, Darby Clayton. Clayton will replace Donny Williams, who will retire at the end of the week.
According to a DOH official, Clayton previously served as a regional engineer with the division in Districts 5 and 8.
The commission also:
- Approved an additional $2,900 for the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Bicycle and Pedestrian Study. This is in addition to $7,000 already provided by the county.
- Signed off on an application for funding through the 2017 Emergency Management Performance Grant in the amount of $120,761.
