• Mountain Messenger Op/Ed Page - 05/17/08
• Local tourism summit highlights National Tourism Week
• Union wants to keep the kids close
• Students, faculty recognized for achievements
• Funding struggles and opportunities in Rainelle
• Parks Committee distraught over park vandalism
• Primary election results posted

During the month of May, the Mountain Messenger online edition will be published from Athens, Greece.  Please pardon any delays  - The Webmaster

Tourists spent $223.3 million in Greenbrier County last year, according to Convention and Visitors Bureaus Director Kara Dense. She told the 2nd annual Tourist Summit at the Fairgrounds Wednesday that the figure represents a saving of $715 in taxes for each county household. She said the county ranks 5th in the state in number of tourists; only the counties with legal gaming did better.

Tourism expert Berkeley Young of Charlotte told the 50 attendees, "You have to adapt to the changing customer or get out of the way." He said, "Travel 20 years ago was a luxury; today, it’s therapy. In spite of all the bad news, people will be going somewhere. Americans will keep on traveling."

State Travel Director Liz Chewning agreed: "Everybody’s getting jittery. But West Virginia is an easy destination for people in contiguous states." She explained that her agency is heavily advertising state attractions in such nearby markets as Pittsburgh and Roanoke.

She said she gets more inquiries about camping than about any other amenity. She’s promoting motorcycling "because we have the perfect topography—cyclists love West Virginia, especially mountain roads with switchback curves."

"Travel is the most purchased product on-line," Chewning asserted, and she advised attendees to keep their Web sites updated with photos, maps, and upcoming events.

She said the state has just launched a Civil War Trails program that is proving very popular. She’s also targeting Canadians who travel through the state to reach golfing resorts in the South, showing them Mountain State golfing opportunities where they don’t have to travel so far.

Young assured that people will be looking for affordable experiences. "So, get creative. Make booking easy for the time-starved. Be aggressive in helping visitors find what they want. Good signage is essential. People who are lost aren’t likely to reach your cash register.

"Focus on different age groups. A visitors’ center should be a must-see heritage center, not just a library of brochures."

On-line marketing expert Hannah Paramore of Nashville said 71 percent of Americans surf the Web. "They are not looking for your site," she advised, "so you have to do something 'impactful.’ People are looking to sleep, eat, and explore, so make these opportunities pop out at them."

Danse said the local CVB spends 49 percent of its income on marketing the area, a figure much higher than the national average. She explained that her agency is planning back roads driving tours, art tours, antique tours, and other specialized motor coach tours.

She noted that when the new visitors’ center opens in downtown Lewisburg, she plans to recruit volunteers to help handle the anticipated increase in activity.

Michelle McFall of the Monroe Day Care Center appeared before Union’s town council for the second time in as many months, this time to discuss a possible joint construction project with the town.

The current facility, McFall said, is quickly becoming inadequate as enrollment at the day care increases.

"We have 70 kids now and we want to build for 100," she said.

Anxious to keep the day care in the town of Union, Mayor Caroline Sparks suggested that a facility could be built near the public pool, where the town has four acres of land.

"We can’t just give property away as a municipality," Sparks explained, offering that the new building could double as an official town hall. "I’d like to see this as a partnership," she said.

While no motion was taken, both parties agreed to discuss the matter further in the hope that it could be mutually beneficial.

Council did move to approve the first reading of the new water and sewer rates at their meeting May 14. The minimum water rate would rise to $22.20, an increase of $2.01; the sewer rate would jump a little less than $3 for a new minimum rate of $22.44.

The ordinance, which will be read a second time on June 18, is the result of months of discussion and has been deemed necessary to meet rising operational costs.

John Metzer of Union was voted onto council to fill a vacancy, 6-0. He will be sworn in on June 18.

"I like Union," Metzer said, "I’d like to help if you want help."

On a night marked by a parade of student and faculty achievements, Superintendent John Curry lauded the Greenbrier County Board of Education at a recent meeting for their "support and guidance," adding that "all you saw here tonight would not be possible" without their efforts.

From Jim Lockhart, who was honored as the 2008 West Virginia Assistant Principal of the Year, to the many students recognized for their work in the Greenbrier East and West High School theater programs, Curry and various faculty members expressed their pride in Greenbrier County’s schools.

Following the theme of accomplishment, the Staff Development Council and the county’s Technology Department reports could be summarized by the words of Donna Ream, director of professional staff development: "Most of the action steps we proposed last year have been accomplished. We’re fulfilling the responsibility we have."

Christy Clemons-Rodgers sought and won approval to submit a grant proposal which would provide Greenbrier West High School with a prevention resources officer for the 2008/09 and 2009/10 fiscal years.

The grant, provided by the Division of Criminal Justice Services, would pay 100 percent of the costs associated with the officer for the first year; the Greenbrier County Commission, Clemons-Rodgers said, is "prepared to provide half’ of the second year costs, or $17,532.50, if the Board of Education will match it.

Though many details are forthcoming, Curry spoke briefly about a potential $40 million project to build new elementary schools in Lewisburg and Rainelle and to renovate Smoot Elementary and Greenbrier West High School. $100,000 is tied up in the design phase, and $10.6 million will be provided by the School Building Authority following the passage of a $30 million bond package.

The dedication of the Wallace Jones Athletic Complex will take place on May 29. The complex’s namesake, Board member Wallace Jones, "has worked tirelessly to procure funds from a variety of sources" for the project, said Curry.

Sergeant Mike Harper of the Rainelle Police Department said he was not surprised when a new officer recently quit the force.

"A security firm in Lewisburg is offering $17-20/hour to certified police officers," Harper told the town’s council. "Who’s going to drive this far to work for less when they can work close to home?"

Several council members acknowledged the need for a night shift officer to combat vandalism and other illegal activity, though Rainelle lacks the funds for a full-time night officer. Council made a motion for Councilman Jimmy Matheny to work on a solution with Sgt. Harper.

The owner of Putt-Putt miniature golf course, formerly in White Sulphur Springs, approached the town of Rainelle about miniature golf equipment for sale. Councilman Steve Dunford, among others, felt this was a good opportunity for the town.

"He wants $2,000 for the equipment and $500 to ship it," said Dunford. "It’s a good deal, but there’s no place to put it."

Council tabled the decision to purchase the equipment until a later date.

Pool Manager Mandy Bryant alerted council that there may be no certified lifeguards available before June 7, causing the pool to remain closed until that point. She cited the timing of pool maintenance, the days required to fill the pool and allow the temperature to rise to comfortable levels, and the lack of available space for training lifeguards as factors.

At its Wednesday meeting, the Lewisburg Parks Committee heard reports from Public Works Director Mark Carver that vandalism at Hollowell Park has become a "weekly" occurrence.

"It used to be three or four times a year; now it’s weekly," Carver affirmed. He said most of the trouble surrounds the city’s new skateboard facility: broken swing seats; lock broken and door kicked in on the concession stand; trashed picnic shelter; one skate ramp dismantled with sophisticated tools and moved; benches ripped out of the ground; an old couch carried into the skate area and placed atop a ramp; etc.

"I’ve never seen anything like it," he confessed. "It’s blatant." Carver said the destruction apparently occurs at night and may involve older teens and even some twenty-something users seen there.

Committee member Andrew Evans said his young children using nearby playground equipment have been subjected to screaming obscenities from skaters. He suggested the community be invited to organize a skate board league similar to the Little League, which operates under adult supervision.

"If it were a pool, such conduct wouldn’t be tolerated," Carver speculated.

"The place has good visibility during the day when park users are present," Evans observed. "But at night, the facility isn’t visible the way Beckley’s is, right next to a major road. Maybe we should shut it down and announce that it was an interesting experiment."

The committee decided after considerable discussion to move next month’s meeting (June 11) to the large picnic shelter near the skate park and invite skateboarders and parents to offer suggestions for dealing with the problem.

Carver said the equipment could be dismantled and stored if necessary. Chairperson Beverly White said the city has over $10,000 earmarked for additional skate park equipment, but she would not recommend spending it until vandalism issues are resolved.

In unofficial county returns, county commission candidate Karen Lobban (D) emerged from a field of four contenders to face Commission President Lowell Rose (R) in the general election.

Former deputy sheriff Bruce Hosey (D) will face Jim Childers (R), who ran unopposed, in November.

Incumbent Assessor Steve Keadle edged challenger Nancy Sartor.

Martha Fleshman (D) beat out Doug Arbuckle by 23 (unofficial) votes in the race to become a candidate for county prosecutor. If the count holds, Fleshman will run against Patrick Via (R), who was unopposed. A recount, however, is mandated in a result this close.

Judge Joseph Pomponio (D) edged attorney Steve Hunter and will face State Senator Jesse Guills for a judgeship in Division One of the 11th Judicial Circuit. In Division Two, incumbent Judge Jim Rowe (D) will face attorney Barry Bruce (R).

Bob Toothman and Frances Workman garnered the most votes respectively for nonpartisan seats on the county’s school board.

The school excess levy was approved by a 69 percent majority.

In state returns, Governor Joe Manchin (D) won re-nomination handily. Natalie Tennant (D) will run against incumbent Secretary of State Betty Ireland (R).

Chief Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard was ousted by fellow Democrats in favor of Margaret Workman and Menis Ketchum for two seats on the high court. Maynard has been wrapped in controversy over photos that appeared in January showing him vacationing on the Riviera with coal baron Don Blankenship, who had an appeal before the court at the time.

The state’s Democrats chose presidential contender Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama by a nearly 2-1 margin.