63 podpisy
Petice je adresována: Fayette County Commission
To the Fayette County Commission
We are neighbors from Mount Hope and across the County. We support people rebuilding their lives and careful use of public money. We ask the Commission to pause and withdraw County support for the HOPER proposal at 100 Bluestone Road until independent reviews are complete and public.
Good-faith notice: We cite public sources. If anything is inaccurate or about a different person, send a correction and we will update the file.
The building is in the Mount Hope Historic District as a noncontributing 1958 government structure. A large group-living use would require major changes and strict code compliance. Residents deserve to see the plan and the governing laws.
Before any action or funding
1) Publish the exact use and the change of occupancy
- A change of use triggers the West Virginia State Building and Fire Codes. Publish intended occupancy, the code path, and written determinations from the enforcing official and the State Fire Marshal.
2) Complete historic review if federal involvement exists
- If any federal funds, permits, or approvals apply, complete Section 106 with WV SHPO and the public before decisions. Publish the filing, the effect finding, and any mitigation.
3) Hold an open public hearing in Mount Hope
- File meeting notice so it appears on the Secretary of State website at least five business days in advance. Post the full packet early and provide written responses for the record. Treat grant files and budgets as public under WV FOIA.
4) Release finances and operations
- Publish a two-year budget, audited financials or review, cash on hand, commitment letters, insurance and bonding, 24-hour clinically supervised staffing, and security and emergency plans. If ARC planning funds were received, publish deliverables.
5) Disclose entities and conflicts
- Provide good-standing certificates, a conflict-of-interest policy, and any past or proposed contracts between the nonprofit and any related for-profit to support WV Ethics Act compliance. Obtain signed conflict statements for related parties and any nonprofit to related for-profit contract. Place summaries and the County verification letter in the public file before any vote.
6) Address audit, clawback, and future-funding risk
- Under 2 C.F.R. 200.206, 200.339, and 200.345 agencies may impose conditions, suspend or terminate awards, disallow costs, recover funds after closeout, and weigh past performance. WV rules allow stop-payment, recovery, and debarment. Explain how the County will avoid these risks before lending support.
7) Public-service background check and disclosures
- Before any endorsement, require the operator’s principals and on-site leaders to complete a public-service background check suitable for neighborhood group living. Verify identity and complete a fingerprint-based state and FBI check through the WV State Police or WV CARES. Check federal and state exclusion and sanctions lists, including SAM and the HHS OIG LEIE. Require disclosure of civil judgments tied to fiduciary duty or housing management, any sanctions or debarments, and any active tax liens or recent bankruptcies that could affect operations. If a consumer-reporting agency is used, obtain written consent and follow required adverse-action notices. Post summaries and the County verification letter before any vote and invite written corrections for any mismatch.
8) Provide a site plan and a neighborhood-impact package
- Even if zoning lists Emergency Shelter or group-residential use by right, require a full plan for parking, lighting, fencing, cameras, trash, good-neighbor rules, complaint response, and coordination with police, fire, and EMS.
Leadership and background items for County verification
We ask the County to verify these record-based items before any endorsement.
Prior business effort
- Reports describe a grocery venture in Kermit called Hillbilly Harvest. Verify opening and closing date (if relevant), licensing and inspection history, and current status.
Dual entities and compliance status
- Business records list Housed-Up Inc. and Appalachia Impact Gaming LLC at the same address. Obtain current good-standing letters and disclose any nonprofit to related for-profit payments before County action.
Financial capacity
- Require proof of committed funding and audited controls so taxpayers are not left to carry ongoing costs.
Governance and continuity
- Provide a governance and staffing plan with board roster, clinical supervision, 24-7 coverage, and a continuity and succession plan so operations do not depend on one individual.
Requested action
Adopt a resolution to pause and withdraw County support. Rescind any letters or endorsements. Order an independent review of code compliance, historic review, financial capacity, conflicts, and neighborhood impacts. Publish the full file. Hold a hearing in Mount Hope with public comment.
Odůvodnění
We are a small town with big pride and limited resources. Families walk to the stadium. Churches hold youth nights. Visitors come through our historic gateway on the way to New River Gorge. The first building people see should be right-sized, well run, and lawful. Our request is simple. Slow down. Verify. Protect both the vulnerable people who need help and the neighborhood that will live with the results.
This is about law and stewardship
Historic-district duty
- When federal funds or approvals are involved at a site within a National Register district, Section 106 requires agencies to study effects and to consult the public before decisions. Non-contributing status does not waive that process.
Open government
- The Open Meetings Act, W. Va. Code § 6-9A, requires noticed public meetings and decisions in the open.
- The Freedom of Information Act, W. Va. Code § 29B-1-1 et seq., favors disclosure so citizens can understand risks and safeguards.
- The Ethics Act, W. Va. Code § 6B-2-5, protects the public from conflicts of interest. The County should screen for conflicts and should require applicant disclosures to support compliance.
Life-safety first
- A change of occupancy triggers the State Building Code and the State Fire Code. The rules incorporate the I-Codes and NFPA through legislative rule, including W. Va. C.S.R. 87-4 and 87-1. Group living and shelter occupancies have stricter requirements for alarms, sprinklers, exits, and accessible routes. Publish the occupancy classification and the code path before any endorsement.
Clawback and future funding risk
- Under 2 C.F.R. § 200.339, agencies may add special conditions and may suspend or terminate awards and may disallow costs for noncompliance. Under 2 C.F.R. § 200.345, agencies may recover funds after closeout if later audits identify problems. Under 2 C.F.R. § 200.206, agencies must evaluate pre-award risk and past performance and may restrict or decline future awards. West Virginia grant rules authorize stop-payment, recovery, and debarment. The County should not risk taxpayer dollars or future eligibility through rushed commitments.
Informace o petici
Petice byla zahájena:
06. 10. 2025
Sbírka končí:
19. 11. 2025
Kraj :
Fayette County
kategorie :
Žít
Přeložit tuto petici hned
Nová jazyková verzezprávy
-
Mount Hope, W.Va. On the streets around 100 Bluestone Road, parents talk about kids on bikes, porch lights, and the sound of evening crickets. That picture is what many residents say is at stake as a proposal for a group living facility advances in a largely residential area.
A petition hosted at openpetition.org/!hoper asks county leaders to pause and withdraw support until independent reviews are finished and shared with the public. The comments posted alongside the petition describe a town that wants to help people in recovery and wants a plan that fits its size and resources.
“We already have three low income complexes and more people on the streets,” wrote Brenda Troitino of Mount Hope, who also pointed to two vacant house fires last winter. “Turning that building into a rehabilitation facility would hurt this neighborhood.” Others echoed two themes again and again. “Property value and safety,” wrote Drema Pike. “Safety for citizens and property depreciation,” added Benny Munsey. “We do not have much of a police presence for something like this,” wrote Paul Remy, who said only two officers patrol the town. “To make sure Mt. Hope stays safe for kids,” wrote Jamie Remy.
Residents also question the fit of the location. “I live 100 yards from the building,” wrote Elza Allen Brown. Several commenters said a high needs facility belongs where policing and medical support are stronger, and they mentioned larger nearby cities by name. Others urged leaders to focus first on jobs and small businesses that could lift the tax base.
Another thread is clarity and accountability. Commenters ask for basic facts about who would live at the site, what services would operate, and how emergencies would be handled. “Documents and plans need to be public and vetted so residents are aware of how this will impact their personal lives,” one neighbor wrote. “We believe in second chances, but only if everything is legal, safe, orderly, and known to the public,” wrote another.
The petition lays out specific steps the County can take before any commitment. It asks for a public hearing in Mount Hope with meeting materials posted in advance. It seeks full disclosure of funding and operations, including staffing that provides clinical supervision around the clock. It asks for conflict-of-interest safeguards, leadership vetting through a public service background check, and a neighborhood plan that covers lighting, parking, cameras, trash handling, and coordination with police, fire, and EMS.
The voices in the community expressed in the petition are more defensive than anything else. Signers say they support people who are trying to rebuild their lives, and they also want a plan that protects families who live nearby. In the words of one resident, the town needs “legal, safe, orderly, and publicly known” steps before any green light. -
Changes to the petition
před 2 dny -
Changes to the petition
před 4 dny
rozprava
Trash, parking, and late night noise land on our street. A real site plan shows respect for the people who live here.
Zatím žádný argument CONTRA.
Proč lidé podepisují
We do not have much of a police presence for something like this we are already being overwhelmed by the backpackers who thinks it is ok to go on people's property and take whatever they want and the law does nothing to them especially the 2 only officers we have in this town why can't they get the old homeless shelter building in beckley where they have alot more police patrols and manpower for this type of facility
Nástroje pro šíření petice.
Máte svůj vlastní web, blog nebo celý webový portál? Staňte se obhájcem a multiplikátorem této petice. Máme bannery, widgety a API (rozhraní), které lze vložit na vaše stránky. K nástrojům
Safety concerns