Talk of the Town September 30, 2025

Barbour County Schools Sperintendent Eddie Vincent on their district consolidation plans.

Dale Lee, co-president of Education West Virginia on school choice and the state funding formula

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:14):
This is the Talk of the Town from Morgantown to Clucksburg.
If it's happening, we're talking about it. Call the show
toll free at one eight hundred seven sixty five eight
two fivey five. Now Here is your host for the
Talk of the Town, Mike notting Well.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Good Tuesday morning.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
It is nine oh six fair skies and sixty three
degrees Metro Newszaki Weather says today mostly sunny and a
high seventy eight degrees.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Welcome to Talk of the Town.

Speaker 3 (00:44):
It is Tuesday, the thirtieth of September, the last day
of operations for the federal government. That is, unless lawmakers
in Washington can come to some sort of an agreement
to avert the shutdown. That we'll have more on that
later if we have time. Our producer Ethan Collins. You'll
be able to get Ethan at eight hundred and seven

(01:04):
six five eight two five five. And of course your
access to the broadcast position is of course the text
line that number three four Talk three four.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
On the program.

Speaker 3 (01:17):
Today, we'll spend a few minutes with the superintendent of
Barbara County Schools, Eddie Vincent. We're going to talk to
Superintendent Vincent about their plans to consolidate their school operations
due to falling enrollment numbers. We're also going to talk
about the school funding formula that has been developed in

(01:38):
Charleston and maybe how that disadvantages school systems that are
of the size of what we see in counties like
Barbara Randolph places like that. To get a response to
that particular piece, we'll spend some time with Dale Lee
coming up at nine to thirty, will get his reaction

(01:59):
to maybe what the state legislature is or is not
doing in order to maybe help curtail the impact of
some of the problems that have been experienced across the
state when it comes to loss of enrollment, declining population,
things like that. Coming up a nine p forty Preston
County Delegate George Street will join us. We're gonna talk

(02:22):
with Delegate Street about the mid Atlantic Resiliency Link. Of course,
Preston County is when the route was released on Friday,
that route showed the line just going through just a
corner of Mond County, but then going through a substantial
portion of Preston County. We're going to talk with Delegate
Street get an idea of maybe what's in it for them.

(02:47):
I think that's you know, a lot of people are
asking that question, and unfortunately, it seems like the answer
to that question has been.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
A consistent.

Speaker 3 (02:56):
Not sure, maybe nothing, but there is the possibility of
maybe a higher electric bill to pay for the improvements.
We're gonna get with Delegate Street and learn more. Coming
up at nine forty couple of headlines. The sexual assault
case of a Lewis County youth pastor will be continued
until February. The prosecutor has notified the court of new evidence.

(03:19):
They've got recorded evidence for recorded interviews from when Radcliffe's
alleged victims went to the police years ago. Radcliffe was
indicted back in July for sexually abusing multiple young girls
when they were ages three to four years old until
they were just about twelve, and many of those victims,

(03:40):
we've now found out.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
Were his nieces.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
Radcliffe is accused of sexually assaulting them throughout their childhoods
from nineteen eighty seven through two thousand and three. Now
originally charged with nearly one hundred sex charges against children,
back in November that those charges were split between four counties, Lewis, Harrison,
Braxton and Nicholas now Radcliffe's wife, Kathy, she's been charged

(04:08):
in the case as well, after victims reported that she
knew about the abuse. She was charged with being an
accessory and displaying obscene material to a minor. And now
one of those charges I believe will be dismissed. But
Radcliffe's hearing that has now been pushed back until February
the third. The State Democrat party who's coming to Morgantown today,

(04:33):
they're taking their kitchen table tour to the Clinton Volunteer
Fire Department building. That will get started at six o'clock
this evening. Two hours is the length of this event
and the State Democrats they want to hear from you,
the voters. That will get underway at six o'clock tonight.

(04:54):
Morgantown City Council they'll be considering a new Tiff district
in the city, the six Tiff District now that would
support the East End development. Of course, that's the ten
to twelve acres of former largely rental properties that has
been raised and is making way for new development there.

(05:16):
A police in Morgantown say thirty five year old threat
to shoot up a business on High Street because the
owners rejected his offers to invest in cryptocurrency. Michael Bose
says allegedly harassed those business owners for several months leading
up to that arrest. At this hour, the Governor's conference

(05:37):
on Tourism is underway in Morgantown on the waterfront, and
of course at this hour the Governor is addressing that conference.
We've got our reporter Joe Nelson on scene and we'll
we'll have a readout as soon as that is available.
But once again, the Governor is speaking at this hour

(05:58):
on the waterfront. Coming back, spend a few minutes with
Barbara County school Superintendent Eddie Vincent. We're going to talk
about their consolidation plans on Talk of the Town AM
fourteen forty FM oneh four point five WAJR.

Speaker 1 (06:28):
Now back to the Talk of the Town.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
Good Tuesday morning.

Speaker 3 (06:33):
It is nine to seventeen, fair sky, sixty three degrees
in Morgantown.

Speaker 2 (06:38):
On the phone.

Speaker 3 (06:39):
We've got the superintendent from Barbara County Schools, Eddie Vincent
is with us. And now just to set this conversation up,
since fiscal year twenty sixteen, the head count at Barbara
County Schools has dropped just about twenty percent due to
a variety of factors, but that has put pressure thure

(07:00):
on their ability to operate multiple buildings, which I believe
they have seven throughout the county. Let's welcome Superintendent Eddie Vincent. Welcome, sir.
How are you this morning?

Speaker 4 (07:12):
I'm good, Thank you, good morning.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
No, thank you for taking some time to spend with
a SETI.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
I guess let's talk about that twenty percent decline in
student population roughly over the last ten years.

Speaker 2 (07:24):
What's driven that.

Speaker 4 (07:25):
Number, Well, it's been a steady decline. This will be
my this is my third year and Barber, but we
were noticing the trend and we've looked at all the
data and there's been a pretty significant decline steady I
mean steady decline over ten years. But since COVID, pretty
dramatic decrease. Most of our you know, most of our
seven buildings are not being utilized from an efficiency standpoint

(07:50):
of you know how many kids we have in the building.
For example, Philip Barbara High School is a big building
and we're right around five hundred kids enrolled and only
about four hund and fifty actually in the building. So
you know that buildings built for twelve hundred kids and
it's a we're not We're using about thirty eight percent
of the building and that's very typical of all of

(08:11):
our buildings right now. So or you know, not just
our student enrollment, but our the general population of Barboo
County has declined. And uh, you know, when you factor
in the homeschooling and the Hope scholarship stuff and all
that and and since COVID and and stuff, you just
what you get is this situation where we have the
same number of buildings we used to have with a
lot less kids than them.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
You know, Eddie, Eddie, if you would, would you address
the out of county transfers? I think that's a that's
an interesting point to bring up.

Speaker 4 (08:43):
So we don't, I mean, I don't know of a
lot of that happening with us. And we've had a
few kids that have left and came in, but we
we don't really have a lot of the out of
county transfer thing here now state wide. I know that's
a bigger issue, you know, when but we we know
we have some out of district kids with in the county,
but we don't have a whole lot of out of
county transfers.

Speaker 2 (09:03):
Okay, okay, barbo, Okay.

Speaker 4 (09:05):
Most of the population we've lost has been to either
homeschool or via Hope scholarship, to some type of other thing.

Speaker 3 (09:12):
Barbara County Superintendent Eddie Vincent is with us, and now,
I guess lay out your consolidation plans and then tell
us what you're hearing from the public.

Speaker 4 (09:24):
Well, I mean, nobody anywhere likes to consolidate or close buildings.
It's not something that anybody is enjoying. I understand the
emotional part of things. Our plan is to you know,
with nineteen hundred students, about half of those are secondary
aged kids, meaning six through twelve, and we're going to

(09:48):
put them in one building. So we have three middle
schools that we're going to consolidate into the existing Philip
Barbara High School, so it will become a six to
twelveth facility with a career in tent co component to it.
That's pretty common in the state in smaller populated counties
where you have a six twelve or seven twelve type

(10:08):
of configuration, because it helps with staffing. Because right now,
and this is the driving force, the origin of this
project was that we have two of our three middle
schools primarily do not have certified secondary instructing instruction going on,
and that's not fair to those kids. You know, we're
doing this for students. Students deserve certified teachers, and we

(10:30):
have some really good certified teachers that can provide their
instruction to more kids this way. So that being said,
with a six twelve, with about half of our population
around nine hundred kids in a six twelve environment, then
we still then we have buildings that we have to
address because we're going to move our middle school kids
into the high school. So we're going to consolidate a

(10:53):
junior and Belington Elementary into the existing Belington Middle School,
which is a really nice facility. And then we have
Philip Elementary, and then we have Casson School up in
the northern part of our county that's that's currently a
K eight that will just become an elementary school. So
those middle school kids at Casson, Phillippy Middle, and Belington

(11:14):
Middle we'll go to the to centralized Philip Barbara High School.
So consolidated six twelve.

Speaker 3 (11:21):
Barbara County School Superintendent Eddie Vincent is with us. Now, Eddie,
let's introduce the listeners to the state funding formula. And
please explain to them how that drives this process.

Speaker 4 (11:35):
Well, one one thing that we've determined is you know,
we schools get county to get funded by the population
they have. So when you have less students, you get
less state aid money for teachers. So therefore you with
seven buildings and we've lost the population that we have.
We have an overage of staff. Believe it or not,

(11:57):
we have two. We're over a professional and service person,
you know, because positions anyway, not people lessarily, these are
positions we're talking about. We have to staff seven buildings,
so that over formula is costing a lot of money.
So we can get ourselves in a financial situation where
we're pretty good spot if we can get that number
down to where we're not in debt with personnel by

(12:21):
making these changes. And that's basically what's happening. And you know,
Barbara County is not the only county. There's a lot
of counties dealing with the same thing.

Speaker 3 (12:30):
Sure, now, Eddie, I don't you know, want to be
the bearer of bad news. But looking at your executive summary,
it looks like over the next ten years, do you
expect to have more contractions within the student population how
do you account for that and stay right with the
state funding formula.

Speaker 4 (12:50):
Well, I think to get down to four buildings, which
is what we're proposing, you know, three elementaries in a
six twelve. I think at that point we can sustain
that and we can staff at you know. You know,
question might be down the road if cass In School
would lose more students that we might have to eventually
absorb them into our existing elementary schools. But we have

(13:13):
that plan. But that's that's down the road, and we
probably will continue to lose kids and lose population for
a while. I don't see that ending statewide and actually nationwide.

Speaker 3 (13:23):
What's the timeline for your decision in this process?

Speaker 4 (13:27):
When we have hearings in October, So we have public
hearings with our Board of Education and in November they'll
have to vote on this and and then that will
go to the state board for December, and hopefully with
with some things that we got going that we can
make the transition and have these buildings ready. You know,

(13:49):
there's some work that has to be done to Balding
to the middle school to make it an elementary school,
and then we're going to make some some renovations at
the high school to accommodate our middle school kids, particularly
like band and phys ed facilities and things like that
that we can absorb those five hundred middle school kids
to come into the building.

Speaker 3 (14:06):
Barbara County School Superintendent Eddie Vincent is with us, and
I guess Eddie, from a state perspective, is there anything
in your estimation that you would like to see changed
at the state level when it comes to that, Fie, No, I.

Speaker 4 (14:19):
Mean, we got to look, we got to take another
look at the state aid formula and how that that's done.
But we got to do something to keep kids in school.
And there's so many options now that didn't exist, you know,
twenty or thirty years ago, even ten years ago. There's
a lot more options for people now. And I'm not
saying that's a bad thing, but we've got to compete,

(14:42):
and now we've public adds got to public d has
to compete against other things. We've got to do better
in public education of providing things that kids need and
families need to prepare them for whatever's next for them.
And you know, in Barbara County we're going to focus
a lot on the trades and career and technical education,
and we're still going to prep kids for college, but
we're going to spend time a lot of time working

(15:03):
with kids that don't plan on going to college and
some things that they can't do outside of public ad
and you can't do that necessarily in virtual or a
charter school or something. So those are the things that
we're going to do that try to make you know,
there's some really good things going on in Barbara County.
You know, we've gotten better test scores this past year.

(15:24):
We've you know, our athletic programs are strong, our arts
and band programs are great. There's a lot of good
things going on, and we've got to focus on those,
and then we've got to get the stuff that needs
to improve better.

Speaker 3 (15:37):
What role, if any would maybe a relationship with a
community technical college or even maybe even w VU Marshall
or what would that do for you?

Speaker 4 (15:53):
Well, you know it did hurt us when we lost
all some broad us here in Philippi that that closing
of that camp hurt the county. Anyway, we would always
welcome the opportunity. We do work with Puerpont and some
other things, but we would love anything that's going to
help our kids and prepare them for things. And I
think this consolidation is really going to give more opportunities

(16:17):
for that's six through twelve. These middle school kids are
going to be They're going to have access to things
that they didn't have before, some course offerings and some
exposure to programs that they would not have had until
they got to high school. So that's the positive. Now,
you know, the negative of all of this is nobody
wants to lose their building. I get that it's a
you know, you're emotionally attached to your school. I understand

(16:39):
that this is not something that anybody enjoys doing. But
I have to make decisions that are best for kids
and keeps Barbara County in good financial situation. And that's
that's the purpose of what we're doing.

Speaker 3 (16:51):
And you've got the State Board of Education looking over
your shoulder to see that you do just that.

Speaker 4 (16:57):
Yeah, because if you don't, and then I'm not saying
in a threatening way, but they you know, we worked
at other counties and things that are happening so that
this project and proposal for us will get us ahead
of that where we don't get to the situation where, look,
you're gonna hear a big financial problem here, and that's
happened in other places, so we're trying to avoid that
situation by doing this. And a lot of counties did

(17:20):
this a long time ago. You know, there's a lot
of counties with our population only has three or four schools.
You know, they got a couple elementary schools and middle
school and a high school. That's about it. So the
stuff that we're doing probably should have been done at
some point, but we're gonna. You know, it's not it's
not something anybody wants to do, but we have to, uh,

(17:41):
if we're going to provide opportunities for kids and and
and spend taxpayers money wisely in Barbara County.

Speaker 3 (17:50):
Are you hearing from a wide cross section of parents
or is it you know pretty much?

Speaker 4 (17:54):
Well, we were both here positive and negative, and we
expected that you're gonna again. I don't think anybody wants
to do this, but I think some people will understand
why others don't. And I understand that because, again, the
emotional part of things is a tough one to overcome.
I do I am sympathetic to that, But at the

(18:15):
end of the day, we've got to do what's best
for kids and I feel like this is the plan
to do that, and then our board will make that
decision in November.

Speaker 3 (18:24):
And then in closing, Eddie, I think you know yesterday
you told me that you're a big fan of Public
Head and you're also a product of it as well.

Speaker 4 (18:32):
Yeah, I mean I am. That's what I That's all
I've ever known. And I feel like, you know, I'm
the first college graduate in my family. I feel like
a Public Head did a lot for me and I'm
trying to and I hate to see public Head under
an attack as statewide and nationwide. But I do think,
you know, we're going to get better for this. We

(18:53):
was gonna learn to compete and do things maybe a
little differently.

Speaker 3 (18:56):
Superintendent Eddie Vincent, Eddie, you've got a great at dude.
Love your work ethic. Keep up the good work and
we'll talk again soon. Thank you, absolutely, thank you. Yes,
you have a good day as well. Take care ye,
take care of yourself. Barbara County School Superintendent Eddie Vincent
certainly appreciate his contribution to the program.

Speaker 5 (19:18):
Today.

Speaker 3 (19:18):
Coming up after the news break, spend a few minutes
with Dale Lee. We're going to talk about that school
funding formula We're going to talk about the state legislature
and we're going to talk about maybe some things Dale
Lee would like to see the legislature in act, undertake
or begin to debate in order to push that conversation

(19:39):
maybe toward a new state funding formula. We'll do that.
Coming up next right now, Fair Skies and sixty three degrees.
The Governor's Tourism Conference going on at the waterfront today,
and of course the Governor is addressing that group this hour.

Speaker 1 (20:08):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
talk of the town.

Speaker 3 (20:14):
Well, good Tuesday morning, nine thirty four, Fair Skuys sixty
three degrees. We have the co President of Education West Virginia,
Dale Lead with us.

Speaker 2 (20:24):
Good morning, Dale. How are you sir?

Speaker 6 (20:27):
Doing great? How are you hey?

Speaker 3 (20:28):
I'm doing fine, Thank you very much. Now, Dale just
finished a conversation with Barbara County School Superintendent Eddie Vincent.
They're consolidating from seven down to four buildings. The state
funding formula is based on population levels. Now, they have
experienced a twenty percent decline in student headcount over the

(20:50):
last ten years and that is projected to continue over
the next ten years. And Barber's not the only county.
What should the state legisl like you do?

Speaker 6 (21:00):
Dale, Well, one thing, we have to look at the
funding formula too.

Speaker 4 (21:07):
Well.

Speaker 6 (21:07):
Student population is important, it's it shouldn't be the driving force.
Excuse me. What it's doing is forcing many counties to
have to make difficult decisions about consolidation, particularly with the
amount of people students that are leaving the public schools
with the Hope Scholarship.

Speaker 3 (21:29):
M co President of Education West Virginia, Dale Lee is
with us and I guess Dale, when you take a
look at maybe some of the economic development you know
in some areas of the state, you could call it
a renaissance or were going to put ourselves in a
situation where we have to rebuild an education system once
places like New Core get established and they need workers.

Speaker 6 (21:53):
Well, I think we do a lot better job with
in areas that I would education. You have to excuse
me there. Sorry, Then the public wants to or the
media wants or the legislature wants to get us credit
for our CTE program is one of the tops in

(22:14):
the nation. We have about more than ninety percent of
our students that graduate from CTE program pastor licensure in
the field. A study that they look at and go
on to get jobs or go to the military or
something like that further their career. So we're doing a

(22:36):
really good job in that area. We're doing a good job.
We're in the top five in the nation in the
increase we have from the COVID years. So it's not
as bleak as some of the legislators would want you
to believe it.

Speaker 3 (22:56):
When I monitor some of these Board of Education meetings
from Randolph County specifically, maybe not so much Barber County,
but you know, there seems to be a lot of
unrest amongst the populace as the way education is being
funded and handled by state lawmakers.

Speaker 6 (23:17):
Yes, yeah, yeah. The past few sessions, the lawmakers, many
of the lawmakers, I won't say all, but many of
the lawmakers have been more concerned about private schools, charter schools,
parochial schools in the Hope scholarship than they have been
public education. What changes it, Well, I think we have

(23:40):
to really seriously look at the people that we're electing
to come and represent us in Charleston, and we have
to tell our stories. We have to tell the good
things that are happening of schools.

Speaker 3 (23:57):
When you take a look at a super majority, what
does this legislation legislative session look like. Will there be
more people in chambers or around the capital to let
lawmakers know?

Speaker 6 (24:13):
Well, I think when we look at a supermajority, we
also have to look at the factions of the Republican Party.
They are the moderates who realize that we have to
have a strong public education system. And then there are
those that are more supportive of the Hope Scholarship and

(24:35):
the private schools and the homeschooling aspect of it. So
while there is a large majority, that majority have some
splits in it, just like years ago in the Democratic Party.

Speaker 3 (24:52):
Dale Lee is the co President of Education West Virginia. Dale,
really do appreciate your time here today. We're going to
be talking with some state lawmakers in the coming day
to get their reaction to this, and we'll be sure
to keep you in the loop.

Speaker 6 (25:09):
That'd be great. I appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (25:11):
Yes, sir, you take care and have a great day.
Dale Lee, Co President of Education West Virginia. When we
come back, going to shift our attention to the mid
Atlantic Resiliency link, spend a few minutes with Preston County
Delegate George Street. It's nine forty that's coming up next
on top of the Town AM fourteen forty FM one

(25:32):
oh four point five WAJR.

Speaker 1 (25:37):
West Virginia Outdoors is the Mountain State's only hook and
bullet radio show dedicated to the more than quarter million
hunters and anglers across the state. Award winning host Chris
Lawrence has been tracking down hunting and fishing stories for
more than twenty five years.

Speaker 5 (25:51):
In a stream or a river, they really like to
have a mud bank and they like to have a
place where they can dig an underwater hole as a refuge.
That's correct.

Speaker 3 (26:02):
You.

Speaker 1 (26:03):
They have to evade predators. Now, some prayers will chase them.

Speaker 7 (26:07):
There a manker and author obviously, but they can avoid
they can avoid the coyotes, the Hawks's the bobcats, the
owls and the hawks.

Speaker 2 (26:14):
And that's really the ones that probably take.

Speaker 1 (26:16):
The most up, whether it's hunting and fishing news or
just compelling stories about the enjoyment of the great outdoors.
West Virginia Outdoors covers it all Saturday mornings at seven
oh six am and for your daily fix, Outdoors Today
brings you two and a half minutes of news and
notes from the woods and water every weekday morning on
Metro News, the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 5 (26:37):
I'm Kyle Wiggs, I'm Greg Hunter, and I'm Brad Howe,
and we welcome you to join us each weeknight at
six oh six for the City Net state Wide Sports Line.

Speaker 2 (26:46):
As always, will dive deep into mountaineer athletics.

Speaker 5 (26:48):
We'll cover the mountaineas, we'll cover high school sports, and
if it's happening in the world of sports, we'll be
talking about it.

Speaker 8 (26:54):
You can listen live and text into the show each
night at six oh six, or watch anytime on the
Metro News TV app. It's the City Net state Wide
Sports Line on Metro News.

Speaker 1 (27:06):
News in the Mountain State happens quick and for decades
you have depended on Metro News for accurate news delivered fast.
Now here's your chance to help keep your fellow West
Virginians informed. If you see news happening, become a Metro
News Hawk by texting News to three five sixty five
to one. If you take a picture or video of
what you see, submit that as well. Text the word

(27:28):
news to three five sixty five one to submit your
tip or story. Standard texting rates apply. Please don't text
and drive.

Speaker 5 (27:38):
Listen. I'm a West Virginian through and through. Grew up
in Bridgeport, thirty five years in the Charleston area, rooted
for the Mountaineers. Since well, let's not talk ages. You
won't find a bigger fan of our teams, but they
get called out when they deserve it. Metro News Hotline
the same for everything, movies, music, local happenings, my inside
knowledge and occasional rants. Meet Coop's sharp humor, guaranteed to

(27:59):
spark good talk radio.

Speaker 1 (28:00):
Think you can keep up?

Speaker 5 (28:01):
We're your afternoon anecdote to the ordinary on weekdays three
to six on Metro News The Voye in West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (28:10):
Hi, this is Dave Wilson, along with TJ.

Speaker 6 (28:12):
Meadows.

Speaker 9 (28:12):
Join us weekdays at ten o six for Metro News
Talkline on this Metro news radio station.

Speaker 1 (28:17):
TJ.

Speaker 9 (28:17):
The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Speaker 1 (28:20):
That's right, Dave.

Speaker 5 (28:21):
We'll continue to examine and discuss issues important to West Virginia,
hold elective officials accountable, and make certain you have a
forum to make your voice.

Speaker 9 (28:29):
Earny new host, same talk line join us weekdays at
ten oh six on this metro news radio station and
the Metro News TV AD.

Speaker 7 (28:38):
It's the time of the year when Friday nights are special,
and that's because Friday Night's are reserved for high school football.
This is Fred Purer Singer inviting you to join Dave
Jeckton and me every Friday night through November twenty eighth,
for year number twenty four of Game Night. Every Friday night,
we'll bring you all the scores and stories from around
the state. Last we'll take your phone calls and talk
about your favorite team. It's game presented by match a

(29:01):
Mountain State Assessment of Trends and community health Survey. Visit
wvmatchsurvey dot org.

Speaker 1 (29:08):
Metro News Midday with thirteen News and Tonight Live anchor
Amanda barn and Metro News is Dave Allen.

Speaker 5 (29:14):
I'll deliver live, up to the minute news, spotlighting people
and communities and covering breaking news stories as they happen.
Join us as we interview newsmakers from around the state
and world. Have provided a platform for your voice to
be heard statewide.

Speaker 1 (29:27):
Metro News Midday presented by Solango Law from noon to
three on this Metro News radio station. Join the conversation

(29:51):
at one eight hundred seven sixty five eight two fivey five.
This is the talk of the town.

Speaker 2 (29:58):
On top of the morning.

Speaker 1 (29:59):
To you.

Speaker 2 (29:59):
It is a Tuesday. We're glad you're with us.

Speaker 3 (30:01):
Fair Sky's sixty three degrees in the University City. George
Street represents the eighty third district in Preston County. He's
also the Vice chair of the House Energy and Manufacturing Committee.
I'm going to talk with a Delegate Street for the
next few minutes about the mid Atlantic Resiliency Link.

Speaker 2 (30:23):
Good morning, Delegate, how are you today?

Speaker 10 (30:26):
I'm doing just fine. Thank you for the invitation and glad.

Speaker 3 (30:30):
To be on absolutely, and thank you for your service
to our country.

Speaker 2 (30:34):
Sir, I appreciate that absolutely. Okay, Well, let's get down
to it.

Speaker 3 (30:38):
We know the route and it looks like it's going to,
you know, go through a substantial portion of Preston County.
What are the people at next Era Energy Transmission telling you, Delegate.

Speaker 10 (30:51):
Well, you know, I guess they see it as they
have a job to do, and their job is to
try and get a power line three from point A
to point B, and unfortunately, Preston County is kind of
in the middle and in their way and they want
to come through, you know, so I don't. I don't

(31:12):
take it personal toward them. They have a job to do,
But I also have a job to do. You know,
it's my job to represent the best interest of the
people in my county, in my district, and I want
to work for them and do what I believe the
majority of the people want and what's in their best interests.

Speaker 3 (31:32):
So we've got Delli, get George Street with us from
Preston County. And you know, being in the middle isn't
always a good place, but being in the middle in
this particular situation might give you some leverage to get something,
maybe anything. What are you hearing, what are the possibilities.

Speaker 10 (31:50):
Well, I have spoken with various people that work for
or you know, contracted as consultants or reps, whatever those
titles may be with next Era, and I've spoken with them,
I've met with them. Yeah, they're trying to throw us

(32:12):
a bone if you will, you know, maybe get a
substation put in Preston County initially, and maybe still we're
just going to be a straight pass through, which is
kind of the worst of all scenarios because we're giving
up the land and a lot of people, you know,
don't want the look or whatever it may be, of
having a large power line through their property or new

(32:35):
their property. But we weren't getting any off take, meaning
we weren't going to be able to directly hook to
that for manufacturing benefits or whatever the case may be
for a large power user. So you know, the company
has heard those complaints and they have said that they
would be open to substation being put in in Preston County.

(33:00):
But that's more complicated than you might think. Just the
company talking about that doesn't really that doesn't guarantee anything. PJM,
the grid operator, they have to approve all that, and
that's got to be reworked back into the plan official
lead because that's you know, that's not part of the

(33:22):
original contract. It costs money, you know, So the devil's
in the details there. I'm trying to look at this
as if it gets forced through our county, then yes,
I would like to see us get whatever benefits from
it we can. Now that's not me resigning to all

(33:46):
of a sudden saying yes, let's bring it, because that's
not my that's not my attitude at all. I'm simply saying,
if it is going to come through, if it is
not stopped. If we can't do anything about it, and
it's coming through anyway, then we need to do the
best we can to get some benefit for our county,

(34:07):
for the people, and for the power supply to our
immediate area.

Speaker 3 (34:13):
Delegate George Street's with us, And just to break this
down for the listeners, PJM submitted a request for proposal
for the mid Atlantic Resiliency Link, that is the one
hundred and five miles from Pennsylvania to Virginia via West Virginia.
Then now, if I understand everything correctly, Delegate, in order

(34:36):
to add a substation, you either have to totally rework
the original RFP or you have to do another RFP
and then incorporate that into this work.

Speaker 10 (34:49):
That's something along those lines. Yes, it's a major thing.
It's not as simple as the company that's putting it
in next era this section and of it anyway. It's
not as simple as them just saying, okay, we'll put
in a substation for you. It's it's nowhere near that simple. PJM.

(35:10):
The grid operator, which is located over near Philadelphia Northtown,
I believe it is. They have to approve all this
paperwork has to be redone I mean, it's a major thing.

Speaker 4 (35:24):
Uh.

Speaker 10 (35:25):
And you know, right now it's just talk of us
of this happening. There's nothing concrete yet, So you know,
we need to we need to be cautious, and we
need to go at this with our eyes open and
know what we're getting and what we're not.

Speaker 3 (35:43):
When when do we get to the point where we
start to ask for things in writing?

Speaker 10 (35:48):
Well, I don't know the deadline for the p j
M two for this proposal for PGM to approve it.
I don't know the exact deadline. I've had conversations, but
I don't have all that, you know written out on
the cantlendar. But I would think, if you know, once

(36:09):
the proposals made, if they continue with it as is
without adding in the substation, and I believe they were
even there was even talk of making this what they
call I think a double stack, if I have that
term correctly, And they were essentially gonna try and make
the power line even bigger for this one line, since
for having so much trouble coming through, they don't want

(36:31):
to have this trouble again in the future with another line.
So but those are all major changes. I don't know
the deadline or when when we're going to have that
either affirm yes or no.

Speaker 3 (36:45):
You know, one thing I think maybe many listeners and
you know, maybe some residents around here wondering, is that
it's pjm's job to sell electricity, and if they could
put a power substation in Preston County that might you know,
who knows power an industrial park or a neighborhood or something,

(37:06):
they can sell more electricity. On paper, it would seem
to make too much sense to pass up.

Speaker 10 (37:13):
Well, and yes, but I think it's a little more
complicated than that, and I don't you know, full disclosure here,
I don't claim to be an absolute expert on the grid.
Very few people are an extremely complicated thing, actually, But
so yes, PJM kind of runs the auction, if you will,

(37:36):
and they're kind of the gatekeeper of making sure that
the power is that an adequate amount, not too much
not too little, is flowing on the grid for the
whole PJM area, which is approximately thirteen states DC sixty
five million people. Maybe you know, it's a big deal,

(37:58):
and so yes, there's onsibility to keep it flowing efficiently.
And apparently they've identified that northern Virginia is is going
to be low on power if something isn't done over
the next you know, roughly five years. Because that remember
the timeline for this, they're not supposed to I don't
think I actually build this until twenty nine nine, So

(38:21):
we're still this is going to be like a five
year process. But so I don't know that it's as
simple as them saying, well, we want to sell more
power to a little industrial park in Preston County, West Virginia.
You know we're small fish, but do our industrial parks
around here in the future need more power? Absolutely? You

(38:45):
know what the industrial parks currently, the one in Hazelton,
and there's one out here the ip Drive off Route
seven between Mason Town and Reedsville. They're both, you know,
kind of getting close to capacity are as. If another
major manufacturer wanted to move in tomorrow, there would have

(39:06):
to be a lot of work done that would take
several years to upgrade our immediate power lines. I'm not
talking a major power line coming through. I'm talking about
upgrading the lines we already have feeding those those facilities.
And I've spoken with First Energy and it's going to
take a while. You can't just upgrade something in a

(39:29):
few months. It's more like a few years. So getting
this additional substation, that's a really good first step.

Speaker 3 (39:41):
Delegate George Street from Preston Counties with us, and I guess, Delegate.

Speaker 2 (39:45):
What is next.

Speaker 10 (39:48):
Well, we're keeping in or I we are. You know,
several other people involved, the county commissions from all the
affected counties have weighed in. Other delegates, uh, Delegate McCormick,
Hill and Brand and others have weighed in. So collectively
we're talking to the PSC. I've called them. I know

(40:10):
others have called and written letters. We are talking to
the company. We're trying to get the best deal we can.
And and let me be clear about something, I'm still hey,
if we can get it to take the other route
north of US through Pennsylvania and not come through at all,

(40:32):
that's that's probably what the majority of landowners in North
Preston would want. No one wants their land taken, no
one likes one eminent domain is used against them.

Speaker 2 (40:44):
I've got it. I've got to leave it there. Delegate.
I'm very very sorry.

Speaker 3 (40:48):
I apologize, but we'll be back to wrap things up
right after this