Commissioners vote to give $60,000 to Nemacolin Castle
Citing its importance as a tourism venue, the Fayette County commissioners unanimously voted Thursday to award $60,000 to the Brownsville Historical Society to renovate Nemacolin Castle. The money will be used as matching funds to procure an even larger amount to fund physical improvements to the castle, the commissioners said. The money awarded Thursday will come from the county’s bond fund.
“It needs an upgrade … I think it’s about time we start investing in the property that we own,” said Commission Chairman Vincent A. Vicites.
Commissioner Ronald M. Nehls noted that money was set aside in the bond fund specifically for this type of purpose. Commissioner Sean M. Cavanagh touted the wisdom of upgrading a facility that’s vital to the county’s tourism landscape.
In another matter, the commissioners voted against a rezoning request from William D. Pritts of Bullskin Township, on the grounds that rock concerts were not an appropriate event in the rural setting of Bear Rocks.
“This is not a proper place to do rock concerts,” said Cavanagh. Seconding the motion, Vicites added, “I agree 110 percent.”
Cavanagh said he suggested that Pritts rent the Fayette County Fairgrounds in order to hold such concerts, adding that a country setting was not the place for such shows.
Vicites said that he agrees with the principle and that it also was his guiding baseline when he voted against a similar rezoning in Springhill Township. That rezoning on the Rich Farms property was supported by Cavanagh and Nehls.
The commissioners also doled out $1,000 each to the communities of Revere and Keisterville to restore their military honor rolls. Nehls urged that they take a cautious stance about such community-oriented projects, but he agreed to side with his colleagues in awarding the funds.
In a move that could speed development of the Fayette County Business Park along Route 40, the commissioners voted unanimously to apply for an Appalachian Regional Commission grant to cover the cost of building and improving access roads.
“This is a new type of funding,” said Cavanagh, who noted that he and county transportation consultant Bill Piper recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby for the new funding stream.
Regarding the county’s Tax Assessment Appeals Boards, the commissioners voted to transfer James Burns from alternate to full time, to accept the resignations of full-timer Joe Baysinger and alternate Jess Beatty, to appoint Steve Polink and Leon Evans as alternates, and to appoint Donna McCann as a full-timer.
James A. Hercik, CPE, the county’s chief assessor, said that the five boards currently need two more alternates to reach full strength but are each running with the required three full-time members.