KINGWOOD — The State Division of Highways (DOH) has set a meeting with the North Central Roads Caucus.
Preston commissioners said Wednesday that some local state representatives met with DOH officials, during recent interim meetings in Charleston and set up a meeting for June 5. They had no further details on where and at what time the meeting will be held.
County commissioners and state representatives from five of the six counties in DOH District 4 — Doddridge, Marion, Monongalia, Preston and Taylor — have met twice and formed the North Central Roads Caucus to lobby for a larger chunk of the road maintenance pie.
The group’s next meeting is set for 6 p.m. June 13 in Marion County.
Earlier this month, Preston County commissioners declared a state of emergency because of the county’s road conditions.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Commission President Craig Jennings played a voicemail he received from Mercer County Commissioner Greg Puckett. In it, Puckett said that he recently drove from
Interstate 68 and up W.Va. 26 to Camp Dawson.
“The roads are deplorable,” Puckett said. He also said, “It was quite rough,” and “My vehicle took a pounding.”
Commissioners also signed a letter of support for the South Preston Neighborhood Watch’s efforts to get a bridge built from South Street to W.Va. 26 that County Administrator Kathy Mace wrote on their behalf. Residents of the area said that the Tunnelton underpass, which the bridge would bypass, is in poor condition and floods.
Jennings said the DOH may take a harder look at the proposal since the passage of HB 2983, which grants priority to roadway projects for roads prone to flooding that hinders entry and exit.
Also at Wednesday’s meeting, commissioners:
- at noon started a recount of the Republican ballots for county commissioner requested by candidate Lucas Tatham. After Tatham looked at some of the results and said that he was satisfied, it concluded at 2:50 p.m. The results of the commission election did not change; Samantha Stone is the Republican commissioner winner. All bonds were returned to candidates.
- were told by Commissioner Don Smith that DIRECTV tentatively plans to begin offering West Virginia TV stations to all customers in Preston County about June 7. This is the result of a petition filed by Preston and Monongalia County Commissions last year.
- reappointed three members to the county building commission: David Bolyard, term ending May 31, 2023; Craig Rotruck, term ending June 1, 2021; and Shannon Wolfe, term ending June 1, 2022.
- was told by Mace she is ordering drug education materials for Preston County Schools for the 2018-‘19 school year. Commissioners have set aside money in their last two budgets for the program.
- set the levy for the coming fiscal year. The action couldn’t be taken until after the May 8 election because of two special levies on the ballot. Jennings congratulated Preston County’s volunteer fire department on passing their levy.
“They ran a great campaign. To get 60 percent on anything is pretty good.”
