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Coal industry pushes back against power plant SATURDAY, MAY 19, 2018
Local organization issues FOIA requests I find it problematic that government bodies are negotiating these deals without anybody knowing what the numbers are or what they’re getting. Mike Cope - Ohio Valley Coal Association
By JD LONG
jim@harrisonnewsherald.com CADIZ – e news last week that Harrison Hills Board of Education (HHBOE) was the last of the three entities, along with the Harrison County
Commissioners and the Cadiz village council to approve of an Enterprise Zone paving way for the potential of bringing in Harrison Power to the county, has kicked up some dust from those concerned about the local coal industry. e approving of the zone and the
concessions involved, which include a tax abatement for 15 years, has pricked the attention of not just some residents but also the coal industry, namely the Ohio Coal Association (OCA) and the Ohio Valley Jobs Alliance (OVJA), the latter of which submitted Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) requests to all three county entities, which they confirmed. e requests, which are being honored, will only give the OVJA what was already on public record as the confidentiality agreements that all three signed, are still in place. Some have read the words “tax abatement” and think that the county will
Going Back in Time
receive nothing but that is not the case, though, Harrison Power still has not released any financial numbers. “I’m afraid that my good friends, and they are good friends, in Cadiz and Harrison County are kind of being duped by this,” Mike Cope of the OCA said. What the FOIA requests are hoping to produce are phone records, meeting dates, times and anything relevant to talks dealing with the power plant, according to Cope. Cope stated that Harrison Power contacted the county and used the tax abatement angle while throwing in other incentives, “without any negotiating at
SeePUSHES, PG. 5
Harrison East students experience “old fashioned learning” at Ourant School By ESTHER MCCOY NH Contributor
DEERSVILLE - e ringing of the school bell in the tower of the over 100-year old Ourant School welcomed the Harrison East second graders as they departed from the bus for a day of "old fashioned learning," the way grandma and grandpa learned their ABC's. On May 9, this was one of the second grade classes from the Harrison Hills School District taking part in a day of "reading, writing and arithmetic," the old fashioned way. e students, some dressed in old fashioned garb and one even carrying a long stick with his lunch attached, gathered in a circle around the U.S. flag and Cindy Owens, a retired teacher taking part in the sessions, explained that the custom now is to place your hand over your heart, but up through World War I the right arm was extended straight out and tilted up a bit for the pledge. She commended the boys for taking off their caps or hats for the event too. Next, the pupils were guided by Tillie Heavilin around the school grounds. She pointed out something all students should know about, the dreaded poison ivy plant that can cause a rash of itching. e next step was the outdoor bathrooms, one for boys and another for girls. is was a necessity for the school and homes that had no indoor facility. e former teacher pointed out the various trees surrounding the grounds and told their names. Special note was made of a tree that had fallen on the coal house causing damage. en it was indoors for a day of learning how the older generation obtained their knowledge with genuine McGuffey Readers. Cindy Owens, a retired teacher formerly of the area, told that the school was built in 1873 and was originally a log cabin built on the property of Washington Ourant. ere are relatives from Scio, Jack and Marge Ourant who are descendants of the former property owner, she explained. NH Photo | ESTHER McCOY Tillie Heavilin said this is her 19th year for the school experience. "Everyone works The first order of business was the Pledge of Allegiance to the outdoor U.S. flag. Cindy together in this great effort," she said, Owens, a retired teacher who was from the area, told the students they were to hold explaining that the Ourant School Memorial their hand over their heart but once upon a time, people held their right arm straight
See OURANT, PG. 13
Events
Bluegrass in the Hills is set to entertain
is year’s Bluegrass in the Hills features a number of high profile entertainers along with plenty of great food and fun for the entire family. See Page 2
Recliner
out and upturned a bit for the pledge. It was changed after World War I, she said. In 1954, the words "under God” were added. She commended the boys for taking off their hats and holding them over their heart during the pledge.
Sports
Huskies boys baseball runners up in district e Huskies boys baseball team finished another eventful season, although falling shy of their goal by earning the runer up spot in district competition. See Page 6
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NEWS-HERALD HARRISON
School
Seniors prepare for graduation
Another school year has come to an end, and local seniors bid farewell to high school and look forward to the next chapter of their lives. See Page 7
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Jewett receives answers in water line project By JD LONG
jim@harrisonnewsherald.com
JEWETT – e particulars of the water line project that drew the ire of at least one resident who appeared before Jewett’s council two weeks ago, reached Bob Allen of E.L. Robinson, the engineering firm that is working with the village. Wednesday, Jewett council revealed a long letter sent in by Allen in which he provided answers from questions he’d formed from that feedback, as well as from their public hearing on the matter held last month “It’s a very informative letter,” Clerk Treasurer Linda Ager said. “I think he answered all the questions, though.” Mayor Dwight Busby agreed stating that many of Allen’s answers were discussed at their public meeting on that issue last month. Regarding one of the main topics resident, Kelly Harriman raised at the last council meeting was the estimated $457,000 cost of the new water meters. Allen acknowledged the cost in the letter but said they “provide an accurate method of gathering water consumption data.” Allen called them the “cash registers” for the village’s water and sewer systems and addressed the issue at length. Allen stated that those new meters could be eliminated from the project but not without significant cost, which includes both water and sewer utilities. He noted that the village’s unaccounted for water level is already above 62 percent and placed a figure of $39,000 per year and if sewer losses were added, that figure could hit a staggering “$50,000 per year.” He said the radio read meters are more expensive than the touch read meters but only about $25 more per meter itself. Regardless of the meter type he said they should be installed in meter pits outside of structures. “Locating new meters in pits provides a deterrent to meter tampering, permits village staff to have access to meters, and allows the village to quantify the amount of water provided to water customers at the location of the meter,” Allen explained. He added that the average cost of installing the meter pit is $1,200 where the main cost is the actual installation of them. He said the cost for radio read equipment was $25,000 compared to the estimated cost of $10,000 for the touch-read equipment. Allen also addressed where the lines would be laid, which he said would be in close proximity to the existing ones. He added that streets and alleys would see repairs from the work done. He said the size of the lines would be “appropriately sized” with no fire hydrants on lines smaller than six inches. “Some smaller lines such as the ¾-inch line serving five households will be increased in size,” Allen said. He also said that repairs to private property would a part of the construction project with videotaping done to all private properties prior to construction.
SeeJEWETT, PG. 5
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