Officials: RCC Big Shoal still being watched
Pike County officials are keeping close tabs on a project in which the county invested $400,000, only to have the project move to Floyd County.
Pike County announced the RCC Big Shoal project in 2014, reporting the plant would use natural gas to create products such as diesel fuel and lubricants. The Pike County Fiscal Court, headed by then-Pike County Judge Executive Wayne T. Rutherford, touted the project as an economic boon to the county, which would, when in operation, provide 30 people with jobs that paid $34.16 per hour, plus benefits.
However, plans for the plant changed, and it will now be built near MarkWest Energy Partners’ natural gas processing complex in Langley.
Officials at RCC Big Shoal spoke recently with Pike officials, including Pike Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Bartley, who said he will be monitoring the situation carefully, with an eye toward ensuring the company does not act illegally in its move of the project.
At Tuesday’s Pike County Fiscal Court, Dist. 1 Magistrate Jeff Anderson asked if there was any news regarding RCC Big Shoal. Assistant County Attorney John Doug Hays said he had met with Floyd Judge-Executive Ben Hale.
“He is neither optimistic nor pessimistic,” Hays said of Hale. “He informed me … that AEP had procured a grant for $100,000 going toward that project. As I understand it, they are in the final stages of engineering. They have a lease option on the site near the MarkWest plant in Floyd County.”
Pike Deputy Judge-Executive Brian Morris said the county has not recently met with RCC Big Shoal officials.
“They were supposed to have been here two weeks ago, but one of the owners’ father broke his hip,” Morris said. “I asked for records, I haven’t received anything.”
Anderson said he has growing concerns about the project.
“I hope they haven’t taken the money and just wasted it,” Anderson said. “It raises suspicions to me if they don’t want to tell us how they spent our money. When you ask them how they spent the taxpayers’ dollars, and they don’t come through, that’s a problem.”
Hays said he believes the county should be optimistic about RCC Big Shoal, while keeping in mind that the county is not without recourse.
“If we are going to recoup our money, plus interest, this project must go,” Hays said. “We have a note for $400,000 plus 25 percent interest. It’s an unsecured note. We have a corporation that, if it doesn’t put this business in over at MarkWest, our chances of recovery are slim to none.”
Both Morris and Hays said Bartley is keeping a very close eye on the situation.
“As far as litigation, Rick Bartley is all over this,”Morris said. “I don’t think this court will have to do anything. I think he is all over this, if they don’t come through with some of their promises.”
“We have waited this long,” Hays said. “My advice would be to encourage these fellows. There is a reason Rick Bartley, the commonwealth’s attorney, was there (at a telephone conference with RCC Big Shoal officials). He has been following this very closely. There are some legal ramifications of what happened here.”
Anderson said he will also keep on top of the situation.
“If they provide us documentation, I will quit asking questions,” Anderson said. “If they don’t, I’ll continue to ask questions. I think that’s a fair shake to everybody.”
By Julia Roberts
Appalachian News-Express
