By Gary Lee Stuber
The Clay County Commission met for their second regular meeting for May on Tuesday, May 26, the day after the Memorial Day holiday. All three commissioners were present: Commissioner David Schoolcraft, Commission President Joyce Johnson, and Commissioner Duane Legg with County Clerk Shelia Stone present as recorder.
The commission approved minutes from the previous meeting, bills, purchase orders, budget revisions, erroneous assessments as presented by the Assessor, fiduciary appointments as presented by the County Clerk: appointments of administrators or administratrix for estates, last wills and testaments and affidavits and waivers of final settlements.
At the previous meeting, the commission had accepted all bids for the Judicial Annex Paving Project, and at this meeting they announced the winning bid was awarded to Triple A Paving for their bid of $29,600. And while it was not the lowest bid, for the project complexity and their depth of the proposed asphalt paving they were selected as the best offer.
The commission changed the salary for Poll Workers to $25 for schooling and $225 for Election Day.
The commission reappointed McKenzie Smith to the Clay County Library Board.
The 911 Ambulance Service requested to increase Riley Rush’s salary to $14 per hour due to his certification status change from EVO Driver to licensed EMT-B, and hire Cody Hubbard as a full time employee with benefits, his salary at $17 per hour. The commission approved both requests.
Marlene Lewis, Mayor for the Town of Clay, requested the use of the Courthouse and courtyard for the Fourth of July celebration and festivities on June 27 from noon until 9:30 p.m. This is a Saturday a full week before the actual holiday on the next Saturday. The bathrooms will be open and the town will pay all expenses for the day. Marlene says there will be street vendors, as well as music and the public is invited. The day will end with a fireworks display after dark.
The commission also announced the Grand Opening of the Elk River Trail Visitor’s Center, a gift shop and museum at the meeting of Lily Creek and the Elk River on the trailhead. The new site has plenty of parking and designed to look like an older train depot. Inside there is a gift shop selling Clay County and West Virginia souvenirs. An open area with glass-topped cabinets will house the Elk River Railroad Museum once the items arrive on site. Once the museum portion is in place the center will be open seven days a week.
The center sits on the site overlooking the confluence of the creek and the Elk River, and the property is well managed and makes for a large curved bank where public access is made for some of what should be Clay County’s finest fishing spots. Either there or off the reconstructed railroad bridge only 50 yards from this center over the creek. Either spot should be good for bass fishing as fish tend to swim into the mouths of creeks emptying into the Elk for easy food. Bring a folding chair and sit along the bank and enjoy the spot. While there are no picnic tables here, there appears to be lots of area in the mowed grass for picnics, and if the heat gets to you, take advantage of the shade at the Visitor’s Center. This might eventually be the favorite spot of most residents of Clay County.
The Clay County Commission next meets for their first regular meeting on Monday, June 8.
