by Lisa Schauer
Local restaurant owners and residents packed Bath town hall in a public meeting on Tuesday, October 20. Council business would include the recent water emergency, plans to secure a second public water source and the resignation of councilwoman Reba Dalson.
Discussion quickly turned to an expressed lack of information, delayed and mixed communications, and incomplete guidance following a system shutdown and subsequent boil-water alert from Berkeley Springs Water Works on Friday, October 16 at 5 p.m.
Councilwoman Mary Lynn Hickey said five leaks were found during the town’s water emergency, which started last Wednesday, October 14 around 10 a.m.
The boil-water alert stayed in effect until Monday, October 19 when water samples could be tested by the State Department of Health in Kearneysville. That testing delay caused some businesses to shut down over the weekend, business owners said.
One restaurant owner said it was Tuesday at 10 a.m. before they had safe water and questioned the town’s focus on public safety infrastructure.
“We felt abandoned,” said another long-time restauranteur, asking Council to next time include protocols for residents and businesses who had so many questions.
In an automated voicemail to customers at 5 p.m. last Friday, Berkeley Springs Water Works referred questions to the local health department. That office was closed over the weekend. The Berkeley-Morgan Health Department is not the agency involved in public water testing. That testing is completed by the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health at certified laboratories.
Dusty Martin with Travel Berkeley Springs said he had no direct communication with a designated information source from the town during the water emergency, in order to inform weekend visitors.
Councilwoman Hickey said she is working on creating a crisis communications plan for Town of Bath.
“This wasn’t good. We are going to improve,” acknowledged Mayor Greg Schene.
Second water source to support growth
In related business, Council announced funding has been secured for a potential second water source in Morgan County, at a reservoir for sale west of town.
Up to $200,000 will be invested by the buyer, Town of Bath.
Schene said the county would invest $120,000 and the state will provide up to $800,000 in a “funding stack” to purchase the parcel, as described by Mayor Schene.
Berkeley Springs Water Works’ 1,500 current customers will continue to have a separate water source, and the secondary source will support the county’s development goals, Councilwoman Hickey said in the public meeting.
Several attendees questioned the town’s involvement in a project to support development elsewhere in the county and after the meeting there was speculation that the secondary source was tied to development of a potential data center in the county.
In a Wednesday meeting of the Morgan County Commission, county officials said they were asked by the Town of Bath to commit $200,000 to developing a water source. In their discussion, commissioners indicated they had no designated source of money to give to such a commitment, but recent changes to the Hotel/Motel Tax law could allow use of the lodging funds for economic development projects. Commissioners had questions about whether the source would be part of the Berkeley Springs Water Works system, or would act as a stand-alone water supply. They made no decision about the funding commitment and said they would compile their questions about the proposal.
Warm Springs flood risk plan
Tangential to the discussion of a water emergency, Bath council voted on Tuesday to proceed with some preliminary work on Warm Springs Watershed Association’s planning study for flood risk management, in partnership with the USDA.
Flood risk management options approved by the town include option one, do nothing; option two, create upstream stormwater storage behind Walgreen’s; and option three, expand and protect green infrastructure and tree canopy in the town and along the run.
Dalson resigns
Before the public meeting concluded, Councilwoman Reba Dalson submitted her resignation, saying she would leave her position in order to be closer to her family.
“It’s been a wild ride,” said Dalson, who was elected in June for her first term on the council.
Council will appoint a replacement after announcing the method of seeking candidates for the seat.
Kate Shunney contributed to this article.
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