Along with the annexation issue, Logan County commissioners Art Kirkendoll, Willie Akers and Danny Godby discussed grant assistance, elections and other issues affecting Man at the Dec. 8 meeting.
Commission President Art Kirkendoll said a proposal for a minor boundary adjustment in the town of Man to annex property in the Huff Junction area had been withdrawn by the Man Town Council which is now asking to have the matter resolved via election.
"This will, in effect, cancel the annexation hearing scheduled for Dec. 22," Kirkendoll said, adding that no action will be taken on the older request.
Kirkendoll read from a second letter asking for the commission's permission to go forward with a public election to let the voters in the Man area decide the matter themselves.
"This puts us in an entirely different situation," Kirkendoll said, noting that it meant the town had the option of doing their own special election on paper ballots or the town could ask Logan County Clerk John Turner to include the annexation issue as part of the next regular election.
"This way, the people of Man can vote on the matter," Kirkendoll said, noting he would work with Turner on placing the decision on the election ballot.
The topic of annexation was controversial when it was brought up earlier this year by the town of Man, which was wanting to annex roads outside of town and not the property surrounding those areas. Hundreds of people signed petitions to get the annexation ordinance halted. But, the town has continued to push for annexation. This isn’t the first time the county commission has had to deal with the annexation issue, as it has been brought up by Man-area residents at several commission meetings.
The commission also approved a request for matching funds so the town of Man can get another grant in its longterm sidewalk paving project. Kirkendoll said the grant is from the Department of Highways for $160,000 and requires $40,000 in matching funds. The town is asking the commission for $5,000 to get the grant.
"I don't think we can turn that down to get that grant for Man," Kirkendoll said, noting that he was proud of the sheer amount of grant money his commission had brought into the county over the years and the work they did in finding grant money and matching funds.
In other Town of Man news:
Kirkendoll said the commission received a letter from West Virginia Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin about $140,000 in proposed upcoming local grants that Tomblin and Ron Stollings had been working on through the Legislature, many of which are economic development projects. Kirkendoll said paperwork for approval on the grants is expected in the next four weeks.
Among the grant applications are:
— $10,000 for the Rebellion in the Hills Civil War Reenactment at Chief Logan State Park.
— $10,000 for the Logan Child Advocacy Center.
— $10,000 for Christmas in the Park at Chief Logan State Park.
— $10,000 for The Aracoma Story Inc.
— $10,000 for improvements to the Logan Farmer's Market.
— $10,000 for a local softball program.
"Needless to say, we will be diligent in getting the paperwork done in a timely manner so we can receive these grants," Kirkendoll said.
(Logan Banner Managing Editor Michael Browning also contributed to this report.)
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