Update report: June 14, 2006.
I attended the Mon County Commission meeting today.
They greeted
me warmly and we had a very friendly conversation.
1. They are sympathetic to our desire to change the operation
of the Cheat Lake Park and Trail, such that the monies can go to an
integrated
approach to recreation, safety, security and routine
maintenance. The
responsibilities of major maintenance and liability would remain
with
Allegheny Energy. Bob Bell, President of the
Commission, said that he
would attend our CLEAR meeting on June 22nd, Cheat Lake Fire Hall,
7 pm. John Pyles may also attend. It is my understanding that Asel
Kennedy will be on vacation at that time.
2. I brought up the subject of the need for an understanding
of the significance of Mt. Chateau as a part of the Cheat Canyon, as a part of
"wild wonderful west virginia", and as a part of the Cheat Lake
"community". We all agreed that it's future as the home of the
West
Virginia Geological and Economic Survey may or may not last.
They
agreed that this topic be on the agenda for next week's
Commission
meeting, at which time we will present a statement in writing of
the
significance of Mt. Chateau to Monongalia County and the
State. Hopefully, then, the Commission will endorse the statement, will
adopt it, and/or send a letter to the Governor and to the WV Public Land
Corporation. [At one point, Bob Bell asked, "Is the State considering the
sale of Mt. Chateau", to which I replied: "That is my understanding,
yes."]
NOTE: There is probably more we can
do. If you have ideas, please share them...... And, if anyone has
hard information (details) in the public domain, please let me now.
Thanks, Duane