Published: May 05, 2008 11:13 pm         

No strategy set for Tamarack change

Secretary wants ‘smooth transition’

No plan has been advanced for Tamarack’s eventual shift to her agency, but Commerce Secretary Kelly Goes says she continues to seek “a smooth transition” to move control of the artisans-tourist mecca on the Turnpike away from the West Virginia Parkways Authority.

“We don’t have anything new beyond what we’ve talked about before,” she said Monday.

Last week in Beckley, Parkways Chairman Joe Martin suggested two major hurdles need to be cleared before Tamarack leaves the authority and heads for the Department of Commerce.

First, a plan must be developed so that Tamarack no longer is operating $1 million in the red each year. And secondly, a way must be found to satisfy some $7 million in bond debt. Without elaborating, Martin said a plan “is in sight” toward meeting the second goal.

“The authority has to tie up the loose ends,” Goes said. “We’ll have to sort through the technical aspects of what do they own, what agency or entity can actually hold title. I don’t think it will take a terrible amount of time once everything starts to get going. Those are the types of details you have to look at any time you move things around in state government.”

No deadline has been set, although Gov. Joe Manchin some 13 months ago chaired a parkways meeting to announce he was amending its role so that its mission is limited exclusively to maintaining the West Virginia Turnpike. In essence, it meant the authority would abandon its legislatively mandated scope of economic development and tourism.

Goes declined to comment on Martin’s remark that the new Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center (formerly the armory) is competing for dollars that normally would all go to Tamarack’s convention services.

“I don’t know anything about that,” she said, when asked to comment on Martin’s observation, which came after board member Alan Susman wanted to know what was holding up Tamarack’s transfer to the commerce agency.

Goes emphasized her agency simply cannot seize control of Tamarack.

“We hadn’t contemplated that kind of takeover, anyway,” she said.

“So we’re just still looking at some opportunities. We haven’t forgotten about them. We’re still very proud of Tamarack. We’re still looking for the best way to make a smooth transition. We haven’t made any final decision.”

— E-mail:

mannix@register-herald.com