MORGANTOWN — Mylan Park Foundation President Ron Justice said a new nursing home facility will likely be the park’s next addition.
Speaking to the Monongalia County Commission on Wednesday, Justice said the foundation is looking open up about 19 acres of developable property behind PACE Enterprises and Mylan Park Elementary.
In order to do so, he said, the foundation needs to relocate a portion of a small, gravel road that accesses a development of 10 or so homes about a half mile behind PACE and the school.
Justice and Mylan Park Executive Board member Cliff Sutherland asked the commission to release $80,000 from the Monongalia County Development Authority’s Coalbed Methane Fund to assist with the road’s relocation.
According to West Virginia Code, the coalbed methane fund is a severance tax distributed to counties in which coalbed methane is produced. Each county’s development authority, with approval from the county commission, can approve use of the funds for projects which are anticipated to spur further development.
“We’ve identified two potential, maybe three potential projects if we can relocate that road,” Justice said. “Basically, there’s a big curve in that road. We’ll straighten it out to basically give us the needed site to develop, or to sell to be developed.”
Sutherland explained that the home owners who currently use the road have signed off on its relocation and paving.
Justice said the overall scope of the nursing home project, including total investment and number of employees, isn’t currently clear. He said the foundation has entered into a contract on a five-acre site for the project.
“Mylan Park has put in another acre that will be maintained for storm water retention. That will open up another eight or nine acres for future things,” Justice said, noting the park will also put up about $60,000 for storm water infrastructure.
The coalbed methane funds will be distributed to the foundation as a reimbursement for the work, which, Justice said, could begin in the next month.
In other county news, the commission:
- Received the annual report on the Morgantown Public Library System from its Executive Director, Sarah Palfrey.
- Approved $3,000 for the Civil Air Patrol, which is the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. Chartered by the U.S. Congress, the organization focuses on emergency services, cadet programs and aerospace education.
- Approved use of the courthouse square from 4-9 p.m. on Oct. 11 for Main Street Morgantown’s Fun Family Football Friday and from 11 a.m.- noon on Nov. 11 for a Veteran’s Day celebration put on by VFW Post 548.
