Silt runoff, potential new waterline extensions, the reconfirmation of the County Commission President, and the final pay resolution for a sewer extension project were considered by the Greenbrier County Commission during their Tuesday, January 14, meeting.
Concern over silt runoff from the Greenbrier County Sportsplex into the Greenbrier River continued with both an announcement from Commission President Lowell Rose and public comment from Jennifer Baker, coordinator for the Greenbrier River Watershed Association.
Looking to resolve the drainage issues, after approving Arts and Recreation money for the project, Rose noted his intention to hold funds from the contractor and engineer until the problems are resolved.
“There [is] money yet owed on that project and I talked to the engineer this morning. … The balance of that I’m planning to hold, with the other two commissioners, until we settle everything with DEP and we get out vegetation established, the drainage put back,” Rose said. “I did talk to the engineer about that this morning.”
Rose also broke down the difference between two types of drainage the commission previously took action on – field drainage and silt runoff drainage. When mass grading was approved, approximately $500,000 in drainage systems was removed from the bid. This drainage is not the same drainage that would protect the Greenbrier River, Rose explained.
“The drainage [we took out of the budget] was not part of the DEP permit,” Rose said. “The drainage that we took out of the budget was what you have in your baseball fields, in your soccer fields, things like that. … We didn’t run those drainage pipes and drainage trenches. We took that part out, which we can do later to keep the cost down. But we did not take out any ditching, trenching, drainage that has anything to do with the DEP permit or water runoff at this time. We didn’t do that.”
The drainage issues, and the notice of violation from the DEP, emerged from construction stormwater drainage, temporary boundaries put in for environmental protection.
“In the DEP permit, it said [not to] take the ponds out until vegetation is established and our contractor [did that],” Rose said. “They shouldn’t have. … We lost three ponds, which are being put back in.”
Previously, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) received a call with a concern with silt runoff and an inspector was sent to the site. On October 23 and 31, respectively, both the mass grading (Kanawha Stone) and clearing and grubbing (Baldwin Engineering) projects were issued a notice of violation against the Sportsplex project, citing rules set by the state legislature governing water quality standards. In addition, silt runoff was visible in the Greenbrier River itself along the river trail just downstream from the Sportplex site in December. Baker cited both as part of her comment.
“Any runoff from your project is unacceptable,” said Baker. “Sediment flowing into the river is detrimental to the health of the aquatic species and the citizens that are city water customers. … What we have here is stormwater drainage, funding cut from the budget, sediment in the river, a West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection issued notice of violation, and you placing blame on the contractor. It seems to be that this is your responsibility ultimately. To oversee the project, comply with all rules and regulations, and protect the health and safety of the environment and the citizens of this county. … Set a good standard, not a bad precedent.”
Although public comment typically isn’t answered by county commissions or city councils, two commissioners did respond to Baker’s concerns.
“We have worked with the engineer, the contractor, … the DEP,” said Commissioner Tammy Shiflett-Tincher. “We have all been in communication and we have all talked. There is no denying that there [are] issues. … I don’t agree with some of the things that have been done, but as a commissioner, I do recognize that the three of us are working to solve the issues.”
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In other business:
• Rose was both nominated and re-elected to serve as commission president in 2020.
• Board assignments were reapproved with no change for each of the commissioners. Commissioner Mike McClung pushed to be assigned Farmland Protection and the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation, citing his removal from the Greenbrier County Airport Authority last year, but was voted down.
• Work on the White Sulphur Springs sewer extension to the WV Great Barrel Company, one of the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) projects, has been complete. The commission approved a pay resolution to Lynch Construction. The project came in under budget by $2,816.97.
Read more in the Wednesday, January 15, 2020, edition of The West Virginia Daily News.
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