LEWISBURG (WVDN) – The Greenbrier County Commission met in regular session Aug. 9 and was presented to by Region 4 Brownfields Planning and Development as well as Greenbrier Farmers Markets.
The Farmers Markets were represented by Mary Surbaugh, who stated the National Farmers Week of Aug. 7-13 is a great opportunity to show how much farmers markets bring to the community.
She also credited Mary Dameron of the local West Virginia Extension office for the success of the five farmers and community markets in Greenbrier County.
Nationwide, farms contribute $9 billion into the economy, and this includes family farms and the importance of expanding for the next generation, she said.
Just last year the Courthouse Farmers Market alone brought in $250,000, she said. The other county markets are located in Alderson, Renick, Western Greenbrier, and White Sulphur Springs. The commission proclaimed the week of Aug. 7-13 as Farmers Market Week.
Then, Betsy Morris of Region 4 Planning and Development presented the Brownfields project funded by the EPA. She stated that online registration is available for the five-county area she serves, and the application for submitting a potential site is easy to follow and not very long. This is an important step to identify the areas that are polluted and create a GIS map of the region.
The GIS map will be created for scrolling online to identify chosen sites and document processes on each property in real time.
The program is expected to list the property owner, past owners, and past uses of the property in the Phase I documentation.
Phase II will involve inspection of properties to identify contaminants and pollutants if present.
Public meetings are being scheduled to allow the public full access to the program.
Ideally, “cluster” locations involving more than one property or owners in adjacent properties to be combined for a more efficient cleanup.
These properties are abandoned and eye sores for the community. They restrict community growth and development because of their stagnant condition. If a property is unused and unkept yet has no contaminants or pollutants on it, this program will also identify it as clean and will help to value the property for the current owners.
In other business, the commission addressed the Phase III Conversion project of the last six miles of Meadow River Trail leading into Rainelle and approved the E.L. Robinson contract.
Lynch Construction is considered still within the bounds of the TAP grant for their repairs to the damage on the trestle bridge of the Meadow River Trail, and an increase for that expense was approved.
The lease for family court for the upcoming year was accepted. They will move next year to the new county courthouse structure, but for this year they will remain in the building they have been in.
Commissioner Mike McClung said the courthouse addition construction is going along well and the roof will be put on shortly.
