photo by: Emma Delk

Marshall County Commissioner David McLaughlin supported Marshall County PSD #1's assistance request on Tuesday.

Marshall County commissioners unanimously approved $764,373 in assistance for the Marshall County Public Service District #1 from coal reallocation funds during their meeting on Tuesday.

PSD #1 General Manager Aaron Foster and PSD #1 Board President Rob Shutler requested assistance from the MCC due to a water leak in their system. PSD #1 covers Hilltop, W.Va. 88, Mount Olivet, Sherrard, Benwood Hill and the upper part of W.Va. 86.

The assistance will include $620,000 for Badger wireless meters; $125,000 for pump house upgrades that include one motor, one turbine pump and upgraded Variable Frequency Drive electronics; $14,625 for Ferrari & Associates’ annual audit; and $4,747 for Cellular Telemetry for the pump house and storage tank.

Shutler explained that their rates are some of the lowest in the region, but they were now struggling to keep up with maintenance and repair costs after prices “doubled and tripled ” during COVID-19.

“We’re doing the best we can, but we’re just strung out tight,” Shutler said.

Shutler detailed that their pump house had been down twice in the last six months. He said the district was currently operating at a 60% loss due to a water leak somewhere in its system.

Shutler said Boswell Water Services has investigated the problem “numerous times.”

“The problem is we’re taking $100 leaks and putting a $5,000 bill on it,” Shutler said. “That’s why we’re here, hoping you guys can help us. We have Kleinfelder Engineering working on finding us grant money, but that hasn’t happened yet.”

Shutler added that an emergency rate increase had just been approved to bring customer bills to a monthly average of $38.10. He said enacting the rate increase could take six to eight months.

“We’ve always been told from Belomar that if we get rates up into the mid-30s, they can accept and help us,” Shutler said. “That should have happened a long time ago, but people don’t like change.”

To be grant and loan eligible, PSDs must have rates at a certain percentage of the median household income in their area. Marshall County Administrator Betsy Frohnapfel noted that not many of Marshall County PSDs reach this threshold, resulting in PSD #1 needing assistance as they have a critical issue with their water leak while still not being eligible for grant funding.

“They are a utility that does very well with what they have,” Frohnapfel said. “If you all choose to help them with their issue, coal reallocation funds could be used.”

Commissioner David McLaughlin said PSD #1 does a “wonderful job” and “tries their best.” He then made a motion to assist PSD #1 with $764,373 of coal reallocation funds, which was unanimously approved by the commissioners.

In other business, commissioners approved the $5,400 demolition bid from Doty Salvage and Demolition for a residence on 233 ½ Thorn Avenue in Moundsville. The house was seized by the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office Drug Task Force in Oct. 2024 because its owner, John “Bull” Lucas, was conducting illegal drug activity.

Frohnapfel said the house became an issue within the neighborhood due to the condition of the grounds, as county maintenance employees had to mow its grass.

“At that point, it was decided that it was past the point of just mowing grass; the grounds needed cleaned up and the house needed torn down,” Frohnapfel said. “The abatement study has been done, and it all came back negative.”

Frohnapfel said Marshall County Facilities Manager Jim Taylor had reviewed the bids. She added he talked with Doty Savage employees and said they understood they have to “clean up everything from the house and take it to the dump.”