War of words between Bloom and Frich over connector project

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A presentation by Delegate Joe Statler (R – Monongalia, 51) to the County Commission at their regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday led to a war of words between a Commissioner and another Delegate over one of the projects proposed in the road bonds package.

Statler said he and four other members of a Monongalia County delegation wanted to assure the DOH and DOT that the county’s vote in the October special election indicates a general support for the entire package of road plans. Statler said one plan in particular — the $100 million northern I-79 connector in Monongalia County — is again the subject of debate and controversy.

“We as a delegation, at least from ourselves, assured [DOT Secretary Tom Smith] that’s not what we’re hearing out there when we talk to people,” Statler said. “When we look at an 80.4 percent passage rate and everything that was listed on there, I feel that everything was voted on as a package.”

Statler said a significant portion of the misinformation came in the final weeks before the special election.

“Social media had some things out there saying one thing, there were letters circulating saying one thing, and I think there was a lot of confusion as to what was going to happen,” he said.

Much of it, Statler believed, was a result of a “purple line” drawn on a map — representing a potential corridor — for the connecting route.

“And to tell you the truth, some of it was that purple line that was drawn on there and where did it go and how that would do.”

At a Star City public hearing in September, Statler said the DOH and DOT attempted to explain that the purple line did not represent a final route.

“Even though I think about six times they answered that question that night saying that line doesn’t necessarily mean where we’ve got to do all these studies,” he said. “We’ve got to do environmental impacts. They’ve done a great job trying to explain that, but some people kept going on to that issue.”

Much of the debate surrounding this connector, still considered a project in it’s infancy and in need of further research, is about whether or not the connector will lead to the seizure of homes or property in the Bakers Ridge area of Monongalia County. County Commissioner Tom Bloom said that, not only is that a scare tactic, but it’s clear the people of Monongalia County support this project.

“80 percent of the people said let’s go for it, we agree, and it’s a real need,” he said Thursday on Morgantown AM. “And that’s why we want to move forward on it.”

During the final weeks leading up to the special election, Delegate Cindy Frich (R – Monongalia, 51) circulated a number of letters and flyers to those who live in the area of Bakers Ridge. One of those flyers suggested “homes will be taken.” Bloom said he believed Frich was attempting to slow the project down by sowing discord.

“I believe Cindy Frich needs to respond to this community as to why she would be going down there and hurting this project,” Bloom added.

But Frich said Bloom mischaracterized her actions — and even suggested he outright lied about them.

“I didn’t do anything,” Frich said Friday on Morgantown AM. “I think it should be asked, what is his ulterior motive? This has been going on for quite some time, and this isn’t the first time he’s lied about me with respect to this.”

Frich said she was not orchestrating any effort to stop or slow down the connector project, which was part of a road bonds package in Monongalia County worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

“I am being given way too much credit,” she said Friday on Morgantown AM. “And if people are contacting Charleston telling them what they think, they have a right to do so.”

The project, Frich said, remains up for debate — and she won’t make an outright statement for or against it one way or the other.

“I can commit to that,” she said. “I have not been lobbying against that or any such thing.”

You can hear the full interviews directly from Tom Bloom and Cindy Frich in the Podcast section here at WAJR.com.