Greene commissioners to purchase property
WAYNESBURG – The Greene County commissioners Thursday formally began the process of purchasing 121 acres of property near the county airport and more than 860 acres of land that was the former home of the Shannopin Mine. While the two possible purchases were announced simultaneously, the preliminary plans for both sites are drastically different.
The commissioners voted to contract with the Greene County Industrial Development Authority to purchase a 28.83 acre piece of land and an 88.18-acre parcel near the airport. At a meeting May 16, the General Facilities Authority will transfer another 4.06-acre piece to the county, according to county director of planning and development Ann Bargerstock.
By purchasing the property, the county could alleviate safety issues at the airport, she said, because officials cannot clear trees from one of the parcels of property as a result of a dispute between the property owner and a previous board of county commissioners. She said the existing 3,500-foot runway would have to be reduced by 500 feet if those trees cannot be removed.
The state Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Aviation has cited the airport because the trees are a hazard to navigation and need to be removed, Bargerstock said.
Additionally, a runway extension would benefit proposed development plans at the airport itself and at the nearby EverGreene Technology Park, which is managed by the GCIDA.
Bargerstock said if the property is obtained, the runway will be extended eastward, a process that would involve some culvert construction and some land leveling.
The second and more substantial purchase, involving the former Shannopin Mine property in Dunkard and Monongahela townships, appears to be somewhat more challenging for the county. Liens, mortgages and delinquent property taxes are just some of the outstanding issues facing this site, and they will have to be addressed as the county moves along in the purchase process, Bargerstock said.
The mine has been closed for at least 10 years, according to Bargerstock, and the property has many environmental and safety issues that the county would like to tackle.
Commissioner Farley Toothman agreed that the site brings with it many complicated financial issues, but the county does intend to acquire the property and will administrate the purchase according to the law. He said the county controller and solicitor will be heavily involved in the process and will research the matter further as one of the earliest steps in the effort.
Commission Chairman Dave Coder said the site eventually could be used for recreational purposes.
“We are showing our interest in that site in southeastern Greene, that we want to clean it up and make it productive, and not the garbage dump it turned out to be,” he said.
Coder said the goal of the county is to improve the site and then focus on its recreational possibilities.
Bargerstock said the site is in need of a watershed cleanup, stream bank stabilization, abatement of acid mine drainage and a cleanup of a variety of solid waste that has been dumped there.
Toothman said it is his “firm conviction” and that of the board to see that the safety issues are addressed properly. He said unprotected bridges, open and unsafe buildings, fire hazards and issues of public nuisance are rampant throughout the corridor.
“This mine was abandoned many, many years ago,” he said. “It’s time we partner with local and state officials to take this very sour lemon and turn it into a lemonade for the department of recreation,” he said.
While the long-term goal is recreational use at the mine site, Bargerstock said the county has not developed a clear plan for its eventual use. She said the county will get all parcels appraised before offers are tendered, and the properties could be taken by condemnation or eminent domain if necessary.