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Spring Finally Arrives!
While there may be a few cool days left here and there, the evidence is in and spring is definitely here. The water wheel at Mountain Mission School provided a perfect centerpiece for some of spring's majesty as yellow daffodils bloomed in all their glory and a pink flowering Crab Apple tree sent forth its blossoms. Other shrubs also fanned out their light greens and pinks, making spring's arrival all the more evident. With temperatures predicted Saturday in the 70s and even the 80s on Sunday, the Easter weekend is shaping up to be one of spring's finest.
(Staff photo/Cathy St. Clair.) |
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Approval for Periodic Closing Of Rt. 645 Sought
Wellmore Officials Say Closure Results in Expansion Options |
by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor |
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Representatives of United Coal Company and the Pioneer Group appeared before the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors, Monday, seeking the board’s blessings on its request for periodic closures on Rt. 645 to allow Wellmore Coal’s #7 mine to load out coal.
UCC’s Brian Sullivan noted that unless the company is able to load out coal in a four-hour turnaround period via rail, it cannot meet utility contract requirements and as a result would be facing some tough decisions.
The ability to load the coal in a timely fashion, however, could result in expansions at the mine which could amount to as many as 100 new employees, he said.
Sullivan noted in the event permission is given to close Rt. 645, an alternate route is available, using Rt. 700, but he said, that route will take motorists on a slightly longer 1.8 mile trip at the times the road is closed.
A public hearing on the proposal has been set for Monday, April 17 at 5 p.m.
"We don’t minimize the inconvenience," Sullivan said. "This isn’t the lowest cost alternative, there is no other alternative. We can’t construct another public road or crossing."
The road was previously shut down for a period of six months while VDOT made repairs to the bridge there.
The ability to close the road periodically -- expected to be no more than 10 times a month, predominantly in the middle of the night, contingent upon the railroad’s schedule -- Sullivan said could result in expansions for the company.
He told board members that United is happy to be back in Buchanan County after its January merger with Rapoca which gave United the Wellmore mines.
"We are very pleased to be back in the place where United Coal Company got its start," Sullivan said.
With Sullivan at Monday’s meeting were Dave Fortner and Pioneer’s Clyde Stacy.
Sullivan noted the Wellmore #7 mine is where the company loads its steam coal, but currently, he said the company is unable to sell to utility customers on a term basis because of the absence of what he referred to as four-hour unit trains.
On the logistical end of things, Sullivan said the company is having difficulty getting coal loaded at both #7 and #8. |
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For more of the
story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at
newsstands now. To subscribe to the Mountaineer,
call 276-935-2123 today.
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Water, Sewer Rates Will Go Up in July
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by
Cathy
St.
Clair
News
Editor |
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Monthly
water
and
sewage
rates
for
customers
of
the
Buchanan
County
Public
Service
Authority
will
go
up
beginning
in
July.
According to PSA Director Darrell Cantrell,
PSA
board
members
agreed
last
week
to
initiate
the
rate
increase
following
a
split
5-4
vote.
The last time the PSA increased its
rates
was
in
2000.
Harry Yates made the motion to increase
rates
which
will
see
minimum
usage
water
rates
go
up
$2.50
with
the
same
rate
applying
to
sewer
customers.
Gary
Prater
seconded
the
motion.
The 5-4 vote saw Yates, Prater, Dexter
Ray,
Diann
Hagy
and
Kermit
Rife
vote
"yes"
and
Carroll
Branham,
Roger
Rife,
Howie
Fuller
and
Jerry
Lindsay
vote
"no."
In addition to agreeing to raise the
rate
in
July,
Cantrell
said
the
board
further
agreed
that
six
months
later,
in
January,
rates
will
again
go
up
by
$2.50.
Cantrell noted the increase is due to
escalating
costs
being
faced
by
the
PSA
in
both
material
costs
and
fuel.
He noted that estimates are the increase will
generate
a
total
of
some
$371,295
for
the
PSA
in
a
12-month
period.
A total of $247,530 will come from the
July
increase
involving
6,777
water
customers
and
1,474
sewer
customers.
An
additional
$123,765
will
be
added
to
revenues
for
the
next
six
months
with
the
January
increase.
Current rates are $15 for the first 1,000
gallons
and
then
$4
per
thousand
gallons
after
that.
The
new
rates
will
see
the
minimum
charge
raise
to
$17.50
in
July
and
then
to
$20
in
January.
Additionally, Cantrell said the PSA board
agreed
to
raise
the
haul
bill
for
water
from
$25
per
load
to
$30
per
load.
He
noted
normally
the
PSA
averages
200
customers,
however,
he
said
he
could
not
give
an
anticipated
revenue
figure
for
the
increase
since
it
is
not
possible
to
predict
the
number
of
water
loads
the
PSA
will
transport
and
deliver
in
any
given
year.
Also increased will be the hook-up fee, which
will
go
up
from
$500
to
$750.
That
rate
increase
will
also
take
effect
in
July.
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For more of the
story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at
newsstands now. To subscribe to the Mountaineer,
call 276-935-2123 today. |
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Students,
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Photo Prices Are: (includes shipping)
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