Two meetings are scheduled in Alderson on Monday, Sept. 12, at the Alderson Community Center for the Arts and Humanities, 400 Virginia Street in Alderson. First, the Alderson Planning Commission will meet from 5-6:15 p.m. in the library of Community Center. All citizens and government officials of Alderson are urged to attend. The speaker will be Jesse Richardson, lead lawyer with WVU Land Use Clinic, who will address the overall topic of zoning. This is the kick-off meeting to launch a major revision of the Alderson Municipal zoning ordinance and bring it into the 21st century. Planning Commission President Fawn Valentine said, “Please make an effort to attend so we can all start with a shared understanding of the tasks and goals ahead.” Then, at 6:30 p.m. in the old gym, Alderson Main Street President Jim Russell will open a meeting of Alderson Moving Forward. The West Virginia Community Development Hub and Alderson Main Street hope all citizens of the Alderson area will come to this community meeting to discuss opportunities to grow and diversify the local economy. Dan Taylor, director for the West Virginia Community Development Hub, will attend, and he said, “We hope to see many engaged citizens that are committed to this community and ready to be involved in making positive change.” This initiative was under development by the local HUB group chaired by Russell long before the June flood, but the negative impact that event had on local businesses makes it even more important that citizens of the Alderson area come to this meeting and get involved. Mayor Travis Copenhaver said, “Sometimes people complain to me that they did not have the opportunity to have input into matters that impact the town. These meetings are for just that purpose. Please, come and get involved.”
