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Volume 89 No. 38
The
HINTON NEWS
(Continuing the"Hinton Daily Nets & The Weekend Leader)
Home of the W. Va. Water Festival
Hinton, West Virginia Tuesday Jan. 15, 1991
25 Cents
HYDROPOWER ON BLUESTONE DAM
ONE STEP CLOSER TO REALITY
By Fred Long
=This is truly a landmark day in
the history of this community,"
Hinton Mayor James A Leslie, Jr.
told a large gathering of constitu-
ents and dignitaries during a press
conference at City Hall yesterday
morning.
=Our purpose," he said, =is to let
the public know that we now have
our act together, we now have the
necessary process intact so as to
assure the development of hydro-
electric power on Bluestone Dam." '
In 30 to 60 days, Leslie said, =a
contract" will be signed with the
Huntington office of the Army Corps
of Engineers =and a venture capital
firm; that, according to Dennis R.
Vaughan, Jr., project attorney with
Vaughan & Withrow in Charleston,
"is ready to gobble up" the full $50
million in revenue bonds needed to
finance construction.
=I think," Leslie said looking back
on the course of events over the past
year, "that we have met and dis-
cussed this propeoal with every major
firm on the eastern seaboard, even
an international firm."
Thirteen months ago the City of
Hinton signed an inter-governmen-
tal agreement with White Sulphur
Springs and Philippi to begin "joint
development" of power projects and
together created a power authority
beard for that purpose. Hinton,
under the terms of the agreement,
will share equally with the other two
cities in any power project developed
by the authority.
Philippi is one ofonly two cities in
the state with legislative power to
issue special revenue bonds ex-
pressly for the purpose of generating
power, Vaughan said.
Philippi also has plans in the
Tassos'
License
Battle
County School Superintendent
Jim Tassos will have to wait until a
second hearing is held in Kanawha
Circuit Court to find out if State
School Superintendent Hank Ma-
rockie will conduct a hearing that
could revoke his teaching and ad-
ministrative hcenses, a Kanawha
Circuit Judge ruled yesterday after-
noon.
Marockie, last Nov., ordered Tas-
sos to appear before him in Char-
leston where a hearing would be
conducted on charges that 'lassos
gave the state false records concern-
ing its special education enrollment
count between 1985 and 1990. In
addition charges that he allegedly
submitted false information regard-
Continued on page 8
In Response To
Article
In response to the article that was
printed in the last edition of the
Hinton Daily concerning the affairs
of Cecil Folds and his association
with the Summers Co. Jail.
would appreciate a correction
concerning this matter.
I did not escape, I walked offwhile
serving as a trustee. I am solely
responsible for that.
This was done only once, and
presently I am serving one year for
the offense. I have not been released;
The release order concerning this
settlement would have explained the
whole thing. Ifl am to be used in the
politics of this county, please try to
get the facts straight, on any matter
that might have my name in it. I
don't want involved in any way in
political vendettas.
Cecil Folds
i i
66 For Hinton and Summers County,
hydroelectric power means JOBS- JOBS-
PERMANENT JOBS. 99
Hinton Mayor James A. Leslie, Jr.
iii
works for another power project in
Barbour County, Philippi city man-
ager Joe Matalianoannounced. The
Philippi's project would inxolve coal
burning;however, Vaughan said that
approach is not being considered
here. "I wouldn't rule anythingout,
he said, =but we are looking at rais-
ing the lake about 10 feet. The Corps
of Engineers is experimenting on
that right now.
Hydropower is an authorized
project for the Bluestone Dam and
penstocks were constructed 40 years
ago when the dam was constructed.
in order to provide for waterflows to
generator turbines. The Corps, at
the request of the three cities, has
agreed to study the potential for
hydropewer.
These studies, financed with =seed
money" acquired by the cities, will
formally begin when the contract is
signed and will take about one year
to complete.
=The purpose of the studies, the
Corps of Engineers said in a news
release distributed following the
conference, =is to determine the
advisability of undertaking detailed
planning, engineering, and design,
required to add hydropower to the
existing facility." The study will
=insure that compliance is made"
within Federal =environmental
li
laws," it says, along with conducting
meetings and workshops in order to
obtain public comment.
"The oottom line' for the three
cities," Leslie told the gathering of
spectators, "is a monetary value of
considerable amount. Conserva-
tively estimated, each city could
derive as much as a $1,000,000
annually.
But Leslie said the project"means
more than that!" He said estimates
place a three year construction pe-
riod for the project "with 300 to 400
jobs during that period of time."
In addition the City would receive
further revenue from Business and
Occupation taxes, he said.
"For Hinton and Summers
County, hydroelectric power means
JOBS- JOBS- PERMANENT JOBS,
that would be created by the wise
and prudent investment of annual
revenues, Leslie exclaimed.
Examples, he said, would be
=investments in our Hospital.
Whether it be in the form of compen-
sation for medical staff, operations
of facility or the acquisition of state-
of-the-art equipment; investments
in our schools, whether it be for a
new senior high school at the Career
Center or for a new elementary school
facility at Bellepoint or the upgrad-
ingorremodelingofthe presenthigh
school on Temple Street; investments
in industry and business, whether it
be in the form of an Industrial Park
in the old Hinton railroad yard or in
the construction of facilities to draw
"back office technology' to our com-
munity."
Hinton businessman and State
Senator Leonard Anderson was
::::::::::::::::::::::::
among the audience, although the
Legislature is in session, and is
working closely with the City to
develop the hydropower project,
Leslie said. "He has taken time out
during the past year to be with us in
attendance at all of our meetings
with different firms. I appreciate
his support on this project and wish
Plans for the development of hydroelectric power
on Bluestone Dam is"exemplary of what our Gov.,
Gaston Caperton, has termed a 'Partnership for
Progress," Hinton Mayor James A. Leslie, Jr. said
of the team that is working together in an effort to
harness the great potential for energy envisioned
54 years ago when President Roosevelt author-
ized the Bluestone Dam project. Left to right:
Martin Hudson with the U. S. Army Corps of
STATE REPORT SAYS SCHOOL
to acknowledge such publicly," Leslie
said.
Also in attendance for Congress-
man Harley Staggers, Jr. was his
local representative Kelvin Holliday.
Staggers, Holli day said, "is extremely
interested m thepro3ectandwanted
to attend but could not due to the
Persian Gulf crisis.
:iiii:i
Engineers, Huntington; Joe Mataliano, Philippi
City ManageG Denny Vaughan, Jr., project attor-
ney withVaughan & Withrow of Charleston; Terry
Jackson of Anker Power Projects, Inc., obtained
venture capital for the project; Hinton Mayor Jim
Leslie; Mike Hager, Mayor of White Sulphur
Springs and Donald Baughman, Mayor of Phil-
ippi. Photo by Kash Long
Briers Named
SYSTEM OVER STAFFED BY 21 Chamber President
By Fred Long bus driver was employed, Tassos to go over enrollment figures and Emily Briers, Hinton business aware of the needs for a healthy
"Youaregoingtoearnyourmoney said. personnel staffing, and in March he woman and local civic leader, was economic climate for the area.
this time," School Superintendent Tassos said in Jan. and Feb. 1990 explained House Bill 101 which elected President of the Summers Mrs. Briers is on the Board of
Jim Tassos told members of the they met again in executive session Continued on page 8 County Chamber of Commerce, Directors of the Summers County
Indictment Issued in Business Development Corporation
day night, after explaining that the its regularmeeting thismonth. Mrs. and Board secretary of the Summers
state will not fund 21employees in Briers has been active in the Cham- County Convention and Visitors
t heschoolsystemnextschoolyear. Beating Incident berforanumberofyearsandprevi- Bureau.
can give you recommendations ously served two terms on the Board Other officers elected were: Jim
(for job cuts),'he said. I can do that of Directors. She was president in Price, owner of Coast to Coast Motel,
tonight, but Fm not going to do that. Christopher Dan Forren,19, origi- Lester and Larry Lee Lester, of 1984-85. 1st Vice.President; Linda Turner,
What I do need is some guidance nelly charged in Magistrate Court Brown's Ridge Road, Lerona, were Mrs. Briers, and her husband Administrator of the Summers
from you." with allegedly, beating Charles each indicted on two counts ofmali- Scott, President of Briers, Inc., a County Continuous Care Center,
Tassos told them they could =ter- =connie" Bailey, 35, in a side alley cious wounding following the testi- local retail furniture co., are both Vice-President; Ed Hannah, Presi-
minate 21 people," but another el- behind 3rd Ave. last Oct., was in- mony of James E. Ward and George active in the business community of dent of the Hinton Merchants Asso-
ternative would be to close schools, dicted on charges of malicious R. Smith. Summers County and are much ciation, secretary; and Mary Hol-
There is no way that you can reach wounding, Tuesday, by the county land, Vice-President ofthe National
thatnumberwithoutclosingschools. GrandJury. VOTERS A PPR O VE BankofSummers, Treasurer.
If the Board is not going to do that, ChargesfiledinMagistrate Court Seated for three year terms on the
my goodness, tell me! against Forren were dismissed late Chamber Board of Directos were:
The cut in employment will be Oct., County Magistrate James E. Wilma Angotti, owner of Big Four
necessary, T--ssaid, duetostate ootie" Beasley said,'when the 3 YEAR LEVY . Store, Emily Briers, Don
funding limitations based on stu- state's star witness'gave testimony Dewitt, owner of Don's Sport Shop;
dent enrollment. Presently the that didn't match a statement he John Grah, Administrator of the
school system has 165 professional gave police earlier. 'I didn't have Hinton voters, Tuesday, issued a yearforathreeyeartotalof$193,311. Summers County Hospital andKelly
personnel smployedand 106ssrvice any choice but to dismiss the corn- stamp of approval for a special tax ThecurrefitCityexcesslevyrates Kemp, attorney with the law office
personnel. With a total adjusted plaint," Beasley said at the time. levy that will help fund public serv- have been in effect for the past 33 Ziegler & Gunnoe.
enrellmentof2,896.89students, next Forren's indictment was issued iceinthecityforanotherthreeyears, years, since June 3, 1958. The dty An organizational Board Retreat
year the state will provide funding based on the testimony of Hinton The levy, which has been in force has had some type of excess tax levy is scheduled for Feb. 3 at the Brier
assistance for only 155 professional police officer Harold D. Richmond, for a number of years, provides for 42 years, home, 509 Greenbrier Ave., Hinton.
personnel and 95 service personnal, according to Circuit court records, additional money for the senior citi- MAIN STREET HINTON 1990
The change in enrollment will re- Bailey, accordingtohissister, Lima zens center, public library, police
quire a cut of 10 professional people Wills, suffered =brain damage from and fire protection, recreation, street
and 11 service employees, Tassms theinj uriesandisunabletocarsfor and building maintenance and pub- The Main Street approach to eco- Over 75 active volunteers, con-
told them. himself. Doctors are placing him in lic health, nomic development relies on volun- ducted volunteer workshop, received
Prior to making the announce- anursinghome, shemaid, untilheis A light voter turnout approved teerismandsupportfromdowntown Tax Exempt Status (all donations
ment, Tassos outlined Board action rehabilitated and we can bring him the levy by 78.7%, which Mayor businesses and local government to deductible),Annualmseting&ARer
relating to school finances dating home." James A. Leslie, Jr. said is the larg- accomplish its goals. Concentration 5 10-member Board of Directors,
backtoJan. 1989. In Jan., Feb. and Forren was one of seven indict- est percentage of voter approval in four points ofinterests (Economic Main Street Office moved to Visitors
March, 1989, the Board met four mentsissuedbytheGrandJurylast during his tenure in office. Atleast Development, Design, Organization Center project, manager certified in
times in executive session to discuss week. 60% of the voters were needed in and Promotion) is the management Downtown Management (National
school enrollment, the budget and Gloria Ford, 36, of Hinton, was order for the levy to pass. method for development. The fol- Trust for Historic Preservation).
personnel. On May25,1989,Tassos indicted on welfare fraud on the According to an unofficial vote lowing goals were achieved in 1990 DESIGN COMMITTEE
said, he advised the Board that the testimony of Barbara Tankersley. tally,296votersgavethelevythumbs by the Main Street Hinton commi- Designed Historic Hinton Bound-
school system =is over staffed and if James Richard Boothe, 41, of upwhile80wereagainstit, precinct tees. ary Markers, provided 8 building
a deficit occured I will not be respon- Beckley, was indicted on charge= of results follow: ECONOMIC rehab designs, established design
sible for it." At that meeting the obtaining money by false pretensss West End (4) 68 yes/18 no, 79.1%; RESTRUCTURING review committee and drafted de-
BoardhiredateacheratHintonHigh arid Kevin Lee Dalton, 21, of Blue City Hall (7) 79 yes/9 no, 89.8%; COMMrlVrEE =rign guidelines.
School. On July 27,1989 they hired Jay, on charges of grand larceny. HAnton Area (9) 27 yesdl0 no, 73%; Implemented $50,000 Loan Pro- PROMOTION COMMITTEE
another teacher. On Sept. 28, 1989 Both indictment issued on the testi- Avis (10) 21 yes/10 no, 67.7%; Belle- gram, Co-sponsored Small Business Valentine's Day Drawing,
they hired 2 full time cooks and one mony of State Police Trooper R.C. point(11) 101 yes/33 no, 75.4%. Development Workshop and l0 new Founder's Day, HistoricHomesTour,
part time cook at the Hinton High Jones. Total revenue expected from the businesses downtown. Railroad Days, Halloween Madness
School. On Dec. 14, 1989 another Larry =Luke [Jester, Bradley levy will be approximately $64,437 a ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE and Downtown Christmas Parade.