[Green] Williamstown Women's Club meeting today on wetlands

Tue Nov 10 21:40:07 CST 2020

Friends,

I seem to be involved in three mutually exclusive groups, all of whom oppose plans (stated or not) to fill the wetlands. I am sending this email to two of those groups: The Green Sanctuary Committee of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta (of which I am co-chair), and an unaffiliated group of local birders. 

This afternoon I attended the Williamstown Women’s Club discussion of the Williamstown Wetlands and the rumor that owner Chris Bender plans to fill it. Part of the challenge is that Ms. Bender has not publicly stated such intentions. Eight people (including two men!) attended the discussion, and seven of the eight were clearly protective of the wetlands. One gentleman was silent, but was clearly friendly with the others in attendance. Six people there were residents of Williamstown (although two lived just north of town limits on Waverly Road), and one is with the Little Kanawha Resource Conservation & Development organization, which, is the legal sponsor of the $95,000 grant monies that turned “The Swamp” into the wetlands. 

Although I’m attaching my poorly organized notes from the meeting, let me give you a nutshell of the highlights: 

Today’s group was under the impression that Chris Bender attended a Williamstown Planning Commission meeting last night seeking a variance for a casino. Apparently, a town ordinance prohibits casinos from locating within 1,000 feet of each other. HOWEVER, I have a friend (Martha McGovern) who serves on the plan commission, and she told me tonight that the commission did not meet last night, and that she has heard nothing about plans for a casino on DaVinci property, nor about plans to fill the wetlands. 

The Women’s Club is also under the impression that Ms. Bender will need a permit from the Plan Commission to fill the wetlands before she can go to city council to make the proposal, but Martha said that the Plan Commission has no such power. She said the Plan Commission does research and advises city council, but has no real power and does not grant permits or variances.

Several people at today’s meeting noted that Bender has attended several city council meetings lately, but her plans for the wetlands have never been on the agenda. Some are worried that she’s working under the table—similar to how a gun range was approved south of town, with no public knowledge or input. 

D.J. Allen, of the Little Kanawha R.C. & D., has a huge file folder of all the historic paperwork regrind improvements to “the swamp." Attached are photos of the 2006 and 2007 agreements to improve the wetlands from D.J.’s files. She is concerned that her agency will have to repay $80,000 in grants if the wetlands is filled in!  Chris Bently won’t be liable, since she had no involvement in the original contracts, refused to renew the agreement in 2017.  The women’s club is very willing to continue paying insurance for the wetlands (as they historically have done) and to fund maintenance it. But without a contract, they can’t. 

They said if Bender is concerned about liability, she should sign the contract and let the Women’s Club continue to pay the insurance! Liability is not Bender’s primary concern about the wetlands. However, she might reasonably want better access to the parking lot via Waverly Avenue. Getting into and out of  DaVinci’s parking lot from Highland Avenue is a genuine issue. Maybe the win-win would be to figure out a way to develop parking lot access from Waverly Avenue that doesn’t damage the wetlands. 

One person in attendance, Fred Cannon, wants to make sure the public is well aware of Bender’s plans. The group presently plans to attend the City Council meeting on November 17, and during the public comment period at the end of the meeting, get a crowd of people to state opposition to filling the wetland—even if such plans haven’t been made public. Nip it in the bud! Write letters to the editor! Write letters to the Army Corps of Engineers and to the WV Department of Environmental Protection! To city council members, and state legislators. Make a stink ASAP. “We’re too old to be patient!” 

The group wondered what should be their plan of action if bulldozers start filling in the wetlands in the middle of the night. Maybe call the WV Department of Environmental Protection? 

Mark Mondo, who is developing land between Williamstown and Henderson Hall, plans to include a fancy restaurant and casino as part of the development. Bender fears that will draw patronage from DaVinci’s. So, she, too, wants a casino to compete. 

A group from the Women’s Club plans to draft a polite and respectful letter to Chris Bender tomorrow (Wednesday) to ask her about her plans for the wetlands. If they can get her to state her plan, they are in a better position to oppose it, rather than fighting rumors. And they will start with a soft approach, aiming for a win-win. 

If you want more information, see my notes from the meeting, attached. If you would like to examine more paperwork regarding the grants and agreements establishing the improved, maintained wetlands, D.J. Allen, Coordinator of Little Kanawha R.C. & D. is your woman. Contact her at BOTH of these email addresses: dj.allen at lkrcd.com <mailto:dj.allen at lkrcd.com> and dnrallen at 220minternet.net <mailto:dnrallen at 220minternet.net>.

I have a list of contacts for the others who attended today’s meeting as well. Most active is Kittie Clark, who seems to be heading up the team who will draft the letter tomorrow. 

—dawn (pleased that she remembered to attach the attachments)

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