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Brooke water tie-in moves forward

WELLSBURG – Brooke County commissioners said Tuesday they will move forward with a project involving emergency tie-ins between water lines serving the Hammond Public Service District, Wellsburg and Beech Bottom.

Commission President Tim Ennis confirmed County Prosecutor Joseph Barki III has written to the state Infrastructure Council to confirm the commission’s commitment to the project.

The commissioners were advised recently the county could lose funds from the council if it fails to move forward with it by June. Ennis said plans call for the work to begin in late summer or early fall.

The tie-ins will allow each water provider to tap into another source if their service is disrupted by flooding, line breaks or other emergencies.

The project will involve extending underground lines between Wellsburg and Hammond on state Route 67 and between Hammond and Beech Bottom along state Route 2 near the dog kennels. A tie-in between Wellsburg and Hammond already has been created on state Route 27 at those two parties’ expense.

Officials with the Hammond district, Wellsburg, Beech Bottom, Business Development Corp. and Chesapeake Energy, as well as the county commission and the county’s economic development authority, all have agreed to contribute funds for the estimated $150,000 project.

In other business, the commission:

Agreed to allocate $30,000 to the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle, as it has done in recent years. The commissioners noted the money comes from the county’s economic development fund, which was established with in-lieu-of tax payments paid by Pennsylvania Fashions, the first business at the Three Springs Industrial Park and which later became rue21.

Ennis said local funds from the commission and others help the BDC to secure state and federal funds to attract new businesses and support development at the former Wheeling Corrugating Plant in Beech Bottom and other sites.

Agreed to meet with Evelyn Leas outside her mother’s home on Eldersville Road to discuss concerns about an upcoming sewer project by the Brooke County Public Service District.

The district plans to remove pine trees there to accommodate the extension of a sewer line, and she’s concerned because of the slope of the land, that it will cause erosion and damage to her mother’s house.

Leas said a map drawn of the property for the project doesn’t include about 60 trees there and is misleading to state officials who will approve the project.

Brooke PSD board members have said the map does indicate a cluster of trees at the site. Last week they told Leas they also will meet with her at the site with a representative of Thrasher Engineering.

Thrasher is the engineer for the project, which involves extending sewer lines to homes on Eldersville Road and in the Cross Creek area.

The Brooke County PSD is attempting to secure easements from Leas’ mother and others affected by it.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com)

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