Invited and participating were newly-elected Senator John Unger, D-16th District, who also represents the area, as well as Berkeley County Sheriff Ron Jones to answer questions about law enforcement issues and Mr. Richard Beegle of the Opequon Public Service District to provide an update on water quality concerns.

OUT-OF-STATE AUTO TAGS

There was much concern over the problem of West Virginia residents with out-of- state car registrations. Sheriff Jones stated that the only time these individuals can be ticketed is when they are actually operating the mis-registered vehicles. His deputies will place a warning notice on vehicles suspected to be in violation of the West Virginia law. His department relies on the citizens to help in this effort by identifying cars that should be registered in our state.

ILLEGAL DUMPING

Sheriff Jones also addressed out-of-state trash dumpers. Here again he asked for citizens help in identifying and providing information on illegal dumpers. Sen. Unger mentioned the private funding of hidden cameras to monitor illegal dumps. These cameras will be moved by the Department of Natural Resources to different problem areas. The cameras are sensitive enough to show the faces of the illegal dumpers and their license plate numbers.

Tires were one of the items mentioned as being most often dumped. I reported that Capital Cement would soon experiment with using old tires as fuel in a demonstration project. If successful, this could provide a valuable option for disposing of tires.

Suggested methods for deterring illegal dumping ranged from stiffer fines to making dumping easier at waste facilities. I also requested interested citizens to serve on a committee on illegal trash dumping and received about ten volunteers.

ROAD IMPROVEMENTS

Another topic was road improvements receiving considerable discussion. I stated that I had requested the Highway Department check the intersection at U.S. 11 and Grade Road for the possibility of a traffic light. Increased traffic surveys will be conducted to see if traffic flow warrants this. The work to ease the curve at Nestle Quarry Road and Grade Road is expected to be started this summer according to the Highway Department. Other road problems in North Berkeley were presented and I have offered to set up meetings between concerned citizens and the appropriate roads' personnel.

GAMBLING CONCERNS

Gambling was another issue generating much discussion at the Marlowe meeting. Opinions ranged from legalizing gambling and taxing it, to recognizing it as a moral evil and repealing what legalized gambling already exists. I provided an assessment by the Governor of South Carolina who said that for every $1.00 in tax revenues collected, $3.00 are spent on social costs as a result of legalized gambling. I expressed my concern over the push by instate and out-of-state gambling interests to greatly expand various forms of gambling as West Virginia appears to be targeted by this industry.

I introduced Mr. Richard Beegle of the Opequon Public Service District to explain the effect last year's drought has had on water quality. He stated that taste and odor problems come from decaying vegetable matter (humus) which is more noticeable now because of the drought, and that 1998 was one of the worst years on record for water quality from Potomac River water. He stated that agribusiness contributes to the problem of water quality. The service district conducts regular tests as required by state mandates to monitor and insure water quality.

BAKER HEIGHTS MEETING

The afternoon meeting at the Baker Heights Fire Station was attended by 22 people. I opened the meeting by restating my philosophy of getting voter input prior to the legislative session. I explained the procedures for applying for orphan road status for roads not maintained by the state. I provided an update on the Highway Department's goal of trying to get bids for the Rt. 9 improvements to be let by the end of the year. Sen. Unger and I stressed the importance of citizen participation at public hearings to support the road upgrade to ensure that further delays are avoided.

Sheriff Jones again explained the problem with enforcing West Virginia vehicle registrations. He added that the personnel from the assessor's office should visit each property once every three years. Residents are expected to pay personal property taxes for each vehicle at a residence. This information is open to the public and available for citizens to review if there is doubt about the number of vehicles a person may have. If not all vehicles are reported, it could constitute tax evasion, according to the sheriff.

The problem with littering and illegal dumping was also discussed at Baker Heights. Sheriff Jones pointed out that the Solid Waste Authority has a list of where various items such as paints, solvents, tires, etc, can be disposed. I again mentioned the committee on littering I hoped to established and asked for additional volunteers.

LIQUOR LICENSES

There was considerable interest in the number of establishments on U.S. 11 South that sell alcohol. Charles Miller pointed out that there are 39 establishments selling alcohol from Martinsburg to the Virginia line along the US 11 corridor. The sheriff and I stated that we support lowering the blood-alcohol level from .10 to .08. This would put West Virginia in line with many other states and make us eligible for Federal funds to combat drunk driving. Sen. Unger expressed his opinion that penalties for DUI should be increased, particularly for first time violators. He stated that the current 24 hours in jail barely gives one time for sobering up and this 24 hours in jail might not even be realized by some offenders.

The problem with the licensing of the Stray Cat Cafe came up as an example of the need for greater citizen input into the decision making process before the issuance of liquor licenses by the Alcohol Beverage Control Administration. I agreed to look into the licensing process and provide copies of the application to see just what was required on an ABC application. Sen. Unger and I agreed to meet with any citizen committee to investigate how the public can have a more meaningful input into the licensing process. We also stressed how important it is for the public to use Letters to the Editor, Journal Junction and petitions to aid in slowing or controlling the opening of additional bars, taverns, or strip joints in the county.

OTHER TOPICS

I was pleased to have been presented with a petition requesting legislation making English the official language of West Virginia. Mrs. Trudy Slater of Gerrardstown has written to newspapers in the state and circulated petitions throughout West Virginia. The petition presented to me contained several hundred signatures. She also pointed out that U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd has introduced legislation at the Federal level making English the official language of the United States. I am happy to say that I am a co-sponsor of a bill which will do just that for West Virginia. I took this opportunity to once again state my strong support for Initiative and Referendum and noted how issues such as this are excellent examples of how Initiative and Referendum could give citizens the power to get issues on the ballot.

I was very happy to have Sen. Unger join me at these Town Meetings and hope he will do so at subsequent meetings. Having Sheriff Jones along also helped provide needed information on vehicle registration and the problem of illegal dumping. I was also happy to inform my constituents of having Mrs. Sherry Dockney assist in coordinating Senior Citizen issues for me. Mrs. Dockney, who has been active for a number of years on Senior Citizen issues, hopes to organize activities such as line dancing, hints for good nutrition and an outreach program for northern Berkeley County. I also introduced Mr. Jerry Mays as my Special Assistant and District coordinator. If I am unavailable to meet with you, contact Jerry at 274-1421, and he will do all that he can to assist you.

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