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7
7
The
HINTON NEWS
f
(Continuing thg"Hinton Daily New 8, The Weekend Loader)
Home of the W. Va. Water Festival
Volume 89 No. 45
Hinton, West Virginia Tuesday March 5, 1991
25 Cents
NEW JAIL PLANNED FOR
SUMMERS COUNTY
By Fred Long
An agreement has been reached
between County Government and
private industry to construct and
manage a minimum security prison
in ummers County, County Com-
neioners announced today.
"This may not sound glamorous,"
Commission President Lonnie
Mullins said, "but it is a compatible
industry for our county.
The state's maximum security
prison for women was located at
Pence Springs for 40 years and the
federal prison at Alderson is located
within the county's borders. "Sum-
mers County has a history of being
the home for prisoners," Mulli nssai d.
-People here should not be concerned
about housing prisoners for other
areas in our county. You've got to
realize that when Pence Springs
Prison closed everyone in the county
was on the phone to the governor
trying to save those jobs."
The agreement with Private &
Municipal Jails, Inc., of Sneedville,
Tenn., calls for a two phase con-
struction plan that,,vhen completed,
would "provide 60 jobs and produce
an income for the county in excess of
$100,000 a year," Mullins said.
But before any action on the agree-
ment takes place the state must
approve the plan, Mullins explained.
"All we have done is start the proc-
ess. We have to get state approval
and I'm sure it will probably involve
public hearings. We have the proc-
ess in motion and now we have to
wait on the state."
That could take several months,.
Commissioner Dick Meador said,
pointing out that a location for the
facility would not be selected until
after they get the green light from
the state. "Alot has robe considered
when you think about selecting a
si, he said. "It has to be near
water and sewage facilities, that's
essential. It will be in the county
someplace."
Meador said inmates for the facil-
ity would come from "other counties,
states and cities. They won't take
violent prisoners, no bars on the
windows or anything like that, It
will have a fence around it, but other
then that, just by looking at it, you
wouldn't know it's a jail."
According to the agreement with
Private & Municipal Jails, Inc., the
project calls for the construction of a
"private jail" that would house out of
county minimum and medium secu-
rity prisoners. The plan includes
911 Emergency Services dispatch-
ing for Summers County and a new
cruiser for the SheriWs Department
each year. Under the first phase of
construction the facility would house
125 prisoners. Along with construc-
tion jobs, about 20 permanent jobs
would be created. The second phase
calls for 300 inmates and about 60
employees.
The company would pay the
county "$2.50 per day per inmate, in
X-Sheriff Back on
County Payroll
lieu of taxes, for as long as the
facility is operational.
hrhen the Project is complete and
size 300 inmates is attained, the
income to Summers County would
be $273,750, plus a new Cruiser, and
911 and Emergency Services at a
savingsof$75,000. Thusabenefit to
Summers County of estimated
$365,000 per annum or a thousand
dollars a day/according to Jimmie
Roberts, President of Private &
Municipal Jails.
Mullins said the county began
"investigating the potential for the
project initially in Sept. and Oct.
1990. "We approached it very cau-
tiously and spent one day in
Sneedville, a town about the size of
Alderson, touring a facility. They
have a nice modern facility right in
the middle of town. It was very
compatible to the landscape and did
not detract from the town."
Former two term Sheriff James
H. Blume is back on the county
payroll working out of the County
Prosecutor's Office, Joe Aucremanne,
prosecutor said.
Blume was the Sheriff of Sum-
mers County from 1981 through
1988.
The facility would cost about $2.5
million for full construction and
would be financed by a bonding
company. No local taxes would be
involved and the county would be
under no obligation to pay off the
debt if the project fell though, Mullins
said.
"I feel thisis the right thing to do,"
Mullins said. "We need the jobs and
we need the income for the county.
This enterprise is not a smoke stack
industry. It can run without any
adverse effects on the environment.
Another pl us is our accessibility to 1-
64. This won't solve our problems
with our local jail because, I think,
the state is going to force us to house
county prisoners in state regional
jails. Still, with all things consid-
ered, I think local people will agree
with this. It is compatible to the
history of our county.
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF
TAXABLE PROPERTY
By Fred Long
Preliminary estimates of taxable
property, released by the Assessor
yesterday, indicate that the county's
levy rates for taxing purposes may
not fall a full 10% and ifthe original
rate is reinstated the county will
receive an additional $50,000 in taxes
for fiscal year 1991-92. But the
county school system will get a one
year windfall of about $95,000.
"Ill believe it when I see it in
writing, School Business Manager
Joe Kessler said.
Levy rates for county school
boards are set by the State Legisla-
ture and according to Assessor Billy
Don Farley, "24 counties in the state
have a loss in total assessed prop-
erty values. The school system's
levy rates are based on the total
amount of the state property values.
It looks like they are not going to roll
them back."
Late last month the County
Commission increased the assessed
value of all classes of property in the
county 15%. Because the increase
will generate more taxes for the
county, State Law requires them to
reduce the levy rates "so that prop-
erty taxes will not be more than
101% of the previous year's revenue
plus two percent for the assessor,
according to Jon H. Snyder, Direc-
tor, Chief Inspector for the state tax
departments.
POWER oN DAM
While on a recent visit to Summers County, Congressman Harley
Staggers, Jr. (D) reviewed plans for the generation of hydro-
electric power on Bluestone Dam with Hinton Mayor James A.
Leslie Jr. and County Commission President Lonnie Mullins.
Staggers also met for lunch with members of the Democratic
Executive Committee prior to making an on site visit to the Dam.
Shown in the phote above (left to right): Commission President
Lonnie Mullins, David Eskridge, Resource Manager for the
lbdene Dam; Mayor Jim Leslie;, Congressman Staggers and Ms.
Clao Mathews, Chairperson for the Summers County Democratic
Executive Committee.
After the rates are roliedback,
governments "may, izhe:
lowered levy rate, but not in excess
of 110%, plus 2% for the assessor, by
publishing a tax increase notice and
holding public hearings."
But "the Legislature," he says,
"will set the regular levy rate for
county school boards."
This year the county school sys-
tem will receive about $805,000 in
county property tax. Estimates from
the Assessor's Office place the
amount next year at about $900,000
assuming little change in public
utility taxes.
"Iql have the exact figures tomor-
row, Lilly said. "It's impossible to
estimate this but that's probably
close."
The State Aid Formula, for fi-
nancing county school systems,
Just some of the merchandise in the new lawn and gardening show
room at the Sears" Merchant Store in downtown Hinton. Doris and
Harold Holley have expanded their business to include the build-
ing next door and have scheduled a "Grand Opening for this
Saturday. Harold Holley said business demands made the expan-
sion possible.
Hinton Sears
Announces Expansion
this if it weren't for them. We appre-
ciate them very much."
On Saturdays the store is nor-
mally open from 8 to 12, but Harold
sai d, ?for this special occasion we are
going to stay open two hours longer
and at 2 pm hold a drawing for a 32-
Because of increased business
demands, "we are expanding our
busi ness," said Harold Holley, owner
of Sears' Merchant Store in down-
town Hinton, o include the busi-
ness building next door and starting
immediately we will stock more new
to the hearing. In addition another
.adntJe.as£one,eighth of a page in. floor.xnerchandis,o aur ¢ustor.-..eegas-pawerw4Hdsater valuedat
$100." Harold said no purchase
would be necessary and you didn't
have to be present to win. "Just stop"
in and register and browse around.
For us this is more of a customer
appreciation day.
"We want to sincerely thank all
the people for their patronage over
the past two years," both Doris and
Harold said. %Vhen we came here
two years ago we didn't know any-
one; now, because of them, we feel
right at home."
size, must be published 7 days be-
fore the meeting, according to the
state tax department.
"Even with the required hearing,
property tax revenues accruing to
the governing body, the tax dept.
says, "except revenues from new
properties not assessed on the previ-
ous year's books, shall not exceed
10% of the property tax revenues
received for the next precedi ngyear."
Tax collections for county govern-
ment total about $500,000.
era."
Holley, in making the announce-
ment today, said the new floor space
will be devoted to a "lawn and gar-
dening show room" which will have
its {,wand opening on Saturday,
March 9. "we are excited about this
expansion," Holley said. "Doris and
I have been here two years and the
people here have been wonderful to
us. The people of this community
made this expansion possible."
"Yes!" Doris said. "We couldn't do
subtracts the total amount ofcounty
tax from the state money, but Kessler
said "it runs one year behind." The
state will subtract the amount col-
lected this year ($605,000) from the
amount they send next year. "Ifthis
is true we will get a windfall for one
year. Next year this will be Charged
back to us and we will be back where
we started. It will help us balance
the budget."
The City has the responsibility to
adjust its reguhr levy rates so that
the total tax collected will be about
the same. After the rates are low-
ered they can also hold a public
hearing and increase the lowered
rate.
Vhen we get the figures from the
AssessoL" Hinton Mayor James A.
Leslie, Jr. said, "we are going to put
the rates back and leave them alone.
City taxes will be about the same.
I'm not going to put more taxes on
the people after they gave us our
special levy in January."
The new special citylevy does not
go into effect until July 1 and only
special levies with an effective date
of March 1, 1990, or before, is in-
cluded in the new tax law. January
estimates had the levy generating
about $64,000 a year; however, the
assessment increase will probably
add about $6,000 to it, Leslie said.
The County Commission has al-
ready said that they intend to in-
crease its levy rates, after rolling
them back. A public hearing must
be held before March 20 and public
notice of the hearing advertised once
a week for two successive weeks prior
NOTICE
Applications for absentee voting
will be mailed to city residents sta-
tion in the Persian Gulf by contact-
ing City Hall at 466-3255 and giving
them the address.
The Primary Election will be held
on April 9.
Mathews Discloses His
"Reorganization Plan"
Federal programs, now adminis-
trated by Lawrence, and special
education would become the respon-
sibility of Assistant School Superin-
tendent "Richie" Rodes.
The business manager's job, which
is held by Joe Kessler, would be
advertised and someone employed
that qualified for state funding.
Two of the five secretaries work-
ing in the Central Office; Phylis
Parker, Janie Shaver, Betty Jo
Basham, Jane Turner or Drema
Gwinn, would be moved out and one
of them relocated at the Career
Center. An administrator would also
be employed for the Career Center.
The attendance director's position,
held by James Irwin, nd Don
Kessler's position as transportation
director would be combined and as
well as some bus routes. One of the
assistant mechanic's jobs, currently
held by Sonny Pate and Timmy Lilly,
who is also a driver, would be elimi-
nated.
Mathews also questioned the Drop
Out Coordinator's job, which is 100%
federally funded and held by Terry
Zirkham, saying he did not know
what to do about that position.
Mathews suggested cutting one
English teacher at the Hinton High
School and eliminating the In-School
Suspension (ICE) position and turn-
ing that over to teachers with non-
teaching assignment.
At the outset of Thursday night's
meeting of the School Board,
Mathews said he was making this
plan public because the minutes of
the executive session held February
14 did not contain "what I said."
Saying that he learned a long time
ago to put everything in writing,
Mathews repeated his earlier com-
ments and asked that his entire plan,
Continued on page 5
"America's Most
Wanted"
Where is Charles Daniel
O'Donnell? That's the question Fox
Network will be asking when they
air their investigative program,
"America's Most Wanted, later this
month.
Producers, directors, actors and
crew, created quite a stir last week
during four days of taping what will
be a 12 minute recreation of the
events leading to the arrest and
conviction of O'Donnell on charges
that he raped his wife and forced her
to have sex with two other men.
O'Donnell disappeared atter the
trial.
"It's a strange ca," said Jonna
Mattingly, producer. "I feel really
sorry for the victim. I must may that
it was very progressive for the State
of West Virginia to prosecute this
case and make this man stand trial
for his crime."
On the night of July 30, 1989,
O'Donnell picked up to drunks at an
out of town bar and drove them tohis
Temple Street home where his wife
was sleeping. In the darkness of her
bedroom O'Donnell forced her tohave
sex with all three of them. After they
left Ms. O'Donnell grabbed a robe
and one of her two small children
and escaped out the back door. She
took back streets and alleys until
she made her way to the Sheriffs
Dept. where she told Police Officer
Jerry Smith what had happened.
• That night (TDonnell was arrested.
Six months later he was on trial
Continued on page 5
By Fred Long
In an unprecedented move, Thurs-
day night, School Board member Dr.
Bill Mathews made public sugges-
tions he made to Board members
during an executive session two
weeks ago on a plan to reduce school
expenditures by abolishing certain
positions in the Central Office and
at the Hinton High School.
According to school officials, the
County School system currently is
faced with a declining enrollment
and agrowing deft cit that could reach
$200,000 by the end of June. Last
January, during a meeting of the
School Board, Superintendent Jim
Tassos said state funding for em-
ployees salaries would not meet the
present payroll and that a drop in
adjusted enrollment would cost the
school system state money for the
salary of at least 10 professional
people and 11 service employees.
Under the state School Aid Formula,
the state provides 100%of the salary
for teachers and principals for the
first 200 days and 100% of the salary
for service personnel for 261 days.
Funding is limited to the number of
students enrolled. Presently the
school system has 165 professional
and 106 service personnel. The state
said next school year they would
only provide funding for 155 profes-
sional and 95 service employees.
Tassos said the county could not
pick up the difference and asked the
Board to give him "some guidance"
on how to make the reductions.
Mathews said his plan was in re-
sponse to Tassos' request.
Callingit a Reorganization Plan
for the school system, Mathews
suggested abolishing the purchas-
ing director's position, held by Rich-
ard Lawrence, and turning the job
over to the business manager. The
Special Education Director's posi-
tion, held by Bill Ball, would also be
eliminated.