Architect Adam Krason of ZMM Architects & Engineers of Charleston talked with the Wood County Commission Monday regarding moving a power transformer on the property where the county’s new Resiliency Center is being built. He showed commissioner Robert Tebay a photo of the property and where the transformer might be moved. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Commission is looking to see if a deal can be worked out to move a power transformer on the site of the new Wood County Resiliency Center.
Architect Adam Krason of ZMM Architects & Engineers of Charleston and Project Engineer David Gunnoe appeared before the Wood County Commission on Monday to discuss the matter.
Work is underway on the 34,000-square-foot building being built on the site of the old county jail.
“Anytime we do a project there are certain costs that are going to be born by the project,” Krason said.
County officials have been informed by officials with First Energy they feel the county will have to foot the total bill to move a power transformer currently on the footprint of where the new building is being built.
The transformer feeds the local television station. Officials thought it also fed the county’s maintenance building, but it was determined it only feeds the television station. A different line feeds the maintenance building.
“It probably fed the jail when it was there as well as (the television station),” Krason said. “There is no easement on the property for the power feed that comes out of that transformer that goes over and feeds (the television station).
“The power company is using county property to feed an adjacent property owner without an easement.”
Krason said there is probably an implied easement because it has been there for so long.
The proposed plan would move the transformer towards the station with a line from it to feed the flood wall and a line to feed the Resiliency Center, Gunnoe said.
Krason said the company told them since the county is doing the project which will require the transformer to be moved then the cost of moving it would be the county’s.
“They want you to bury two six-inch conduits, one for power and one for a spare,” he said, adding it would serve the center, the television station and the floodwall.
“You would be paying for the power company’s beneficial use of these power conduits … that they are going to use to sell power out of,” Krason added. “They would have the best use of that.”
Officials took issue with the company’s belief moving the transformer was solely the responsibility of the county since the power company would be getting upgraded equipment and more to provide service to its paying customers around that part of town.
They talked about a variety of alternatives from changing the project and the shape of the building to leave the transformer in place or having the whole building powered by the lines powering the current maintenance building.
Commissioners want to confer with the state Public Service Commission as well as an attorney versed in that kind of law to see what kind of options could be available. They said they would consider looking at splitting the costs with the power company if the building ends up getting served through this transformer.
* The commission discussed a delapidated property at 33 Harvest Drive in Williamstown. The owner appeared a couple of weeks ago to discuss the condition of the property.
The property looks like someone is trying to do a home remodel, but work has not been done in awhile, officials said, adding there were safety concerns around the house and its grounds as well as another structure. Although the property was condemned and has no trespassing signs, Wood County Compliance Officer Sarah Robinson said the doors were all open and anyone could access the property.
The owner appeared with someone who might be interested in taking on the property, someone different than who appeared with him a couple weeks ago. The interested man said he felt parts of the house could be saved. He wants to bring a contractor in to go over to see what can be done.
The county has been dealing with this property since 2017 and their intention is to have it torn down if nothing can be done with it. The commissioners gave them two weeks to come up with a plan of action for the property.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com
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