By Adam Pack
The Alderson Town Council met for their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, June 8, and had an opportunity to take the next steps in receiving funds from the recent settlements between the state of West Virginia and both Kroger and Mylan Pharmaceuticals.
The two settlements, totaling $68,000,000 and $1,900,000 respectively, were further results of Attorney General’s successful lawsuit against several entities which were decided to have contributed to the abuse of opioids in West Virginia. This detail was underlined by Mayor Travis Copenhaver, saying, “Many people think that ‘their tax dollars’ are going to pay for people’s counseling, or free suboxone, or what have you. As of now, no one’s tax dollars are going to pay for any of that, as those things are coming from this settlement. Every dollar and any dollar from this fund must be used for
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opioid abatement, whether that’s the purchase of a police car, a new officer, anything and everything that uses these funds has to conform to ‘opioid abatement.’”
As per the agreement, 72.5 percent of funds from any settlements between the state and the various firms associated goes to the state’s “West Virginia First Opioid Abatement Fund,” and 24.5 percent will go to all the municipalities signed onto the agreement. It is not clear as of yet what each municipality will receive specifically, but detailed numbers will become available soon.
The city also heard updates related to the city’s ongoing Water Plant Relocation Project. Lead Project engineers from The Thrasher Group were on hand to inform the town that the Highlander House, which was sold to the city for a site to construct the water plant relocation, is only now in need of an asbestos investigation before it can be demolished. After demolition they can then drill holes for geological survey, ascertaining whether or not there are sinkholes or caves beneath the property. In keeping with the promise that Thrasher has made to keep the water plant as aesthetically inoffensive as possible, the front entrance to the plant will have a front porch modeled on the Highlander’s current porch.
In other news, the city dealt with three appointments to local boards. Kate Kinsinger was appointed to the board to fill a vacancy, while Patty Proffitt was reappointed to the board. Myles Yates was also appointed to the town’s Planning Commission. This appointment was the cause for some excitement, as the town is preparing to redo their zoning laws, described by Maroy Copenhaver as a “monumental undertaking.”
Lastly, the Alderson Elementary school renovation is continuing and making great progress, and citizens can look forward to the next phase of the current elementary school’s life: the Alderson Economic Development Hub. As Mayor Copenhaver described, the Hub would be “a potential space for small business owners and entrepreneurs. It could be used as office space or start-up workspace for those hoping to get into a business or endeavor but can’t afford or find the start-up space.”
The city also received $55,000 from a Department of Highways grant for work to the substructure of the Alderson Bridge. This is a good step towards the city’s ability to work on the bridge, securing needed funds as well as giving the city access to the state’s network of contractors and engineers. The city also finally, officially, closed out the last of the FEMA files from the damage caused by the 2016 flood. All that FEMA now requires is that all the town’s relevant documents be digitized. Copenhaver spoke for all involved when he said, “that sounds like a lot, but for this to have taken nearly seven years, and for all that’s left to do, we’ve come a long way and are really glad to have this closed.”
The Alderson Town Council meets on the second Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in the Alderson City Hall Building. The public is encouraged to attend. Interested parties should call ahead to confirm time and date of meeting at 304-445-2916, as times and dates of meetings are subject to change.
