The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

July 23, 2008

Special meeting canceled when officials don’t show

Amelia A. Pridemore

A special Sophia town meeting was canceled Wednesday evening after only one councilman and one citizen had shown up shortly before the meeting’s scheduled time.

Councilman John Fanary, who called the special meeting, said not enough town officials were assembled to officially meet. He said he hand-delivered notices to all council members and Mayor Harry Taylor two days beforehand.

Fanary would say only that the meeting was called to discuss issues that were unresolved after last week’s regular meeting. He declined to elaborate further.

Fanary noted council members have already given the green light for a special election that will decide whether the Crab Orchard-MacArthur Public Service District will take over the town’s sewer system. The apparent holdup in setting up the election, he believes, is that the town recently changed attorneys. An attorney must set up the election.

— Amelia A. Pridemore