Two of the three Allegany County Commissioners have admitted “mistakes,” resulting in water bill increases, some as high as a 700 per cent, for 2200 George’s Creek Sanitary District customers. The county is trying to negotiate a refinancing of the 20-year loan with the Department of Agriculture for the upgrade of the George’s Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment, will be traveling to Western Maryland next Thursday, for a public meeting, set for 7 p.m. at the Westmar Middle School.
Sheriff’s Office Finishes FY 2010 Under Budget
The Allegany County Sheriff’s Office will return nearly $150,000 in unspent funds, as it finished the 2010 fiscal year, under budget. The Commissioners had maintained that overtime costs there had forced them to transfer road patrol duties to the Allegany County Bureau of Police two years ago. For his part, Sheriff Goad says the overage in the budget was due to a lack of manpower. Several other departments were able to return money to the county, including animal control, economic development, the information technology department and Circuit Court.
Police Investigate Vandalism Incidents
Cumberland City Police are currently investigating the destruction of property, involving numerous vehicles in the Greene Street, Washington Street and Fayette Street areas. Over 25 vehicles were damaged by having their tires slashed. Police began receiving calls around 4 a.m. Thursday. Anyone with information about the damage to the vehicles, or information about suspicious people in the area, is encouraged to contact Cumberland City Police at (301)-777-1600, or Allegany/Mineral County CrimeSolvers.
Nethken Files As Candidate
Former Cumberland Mayor Frank Nethken has filed to run as an Allegany County Commissioner candidate. He filed this week as a write-in candidate in the November 2nd general election. Nethken also failed at several other attempts at elected office. The field of commissioner candidates has now grown to 16; write in candidates have until October 27th to register with the local or State Board of Elections office.
Bedford School Board Files Suit Against County
The Bedford Area School District is filing suit against the county over the recent reassessment. Right to Know requests have been filed for copies of the assessment appeals filed this year as well as for the Clean and Green application from the Evitt’s Creek Water Company. Bedford District Superintendent Glenn Thompson says the issues being faced by the district in connection with a countywide reassessment are “symptoms of a bigger problem.”
Drought Severely Affecting Farms
The West Virginia State executive director for the Farm Service Agency at the USDA, Alfred J. Lewis, recently toured Mineral County, to assess damage done by this summer’s drought. The intense heat and lack of rain have caused hay crops to run short; the outlook for winter feed is not good, and some farmers are already feeding animals they hay they would normally stockpile for winter. To be considered eligible for drought assistance, and area must have gone eight consecutive weeks without rain.
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