MORGANTOWN — The relationship between local elected officials and the West Virginia Division of Highways has followed a recognizable pattern over the last decade-plus.
It proceeds as such:
Local frustrations mount over time – be they over specific issues, a general lack of maintenance, or both.
Complaints become more pointed, public and frequent.
The two sides come together to air things out, and depart proclaiming a renewed commitment to communication and collaboration.
Rinse and repeat.
No more, says DOH District 4 Manager Earl Gaskins.
Gaskins, who took over District 4 earlier this year, recently sat down with Morgantown leadership.
“We could sit here and talk about staffing and money and all the problems of the world. Guys, most of the failures we have to own. Most of the failure is the way we’ve managed and the way we’ve operated, quite honestly, in drawing these lines. My whole goal is to change the perception of what everybody thinks about the department of highways; change the perception of what we’re willing to do,” Gaskins said. “I will not violate my policy. I will not violate state law. I will not violate anything for anybody, but we can make this work, together. If we miss this opportunity, there will be nobody else to blame.”
The lines referenced by Gaskins are the territorial barriers the city has typically run up against when looking to address various issues on or along the numerous state routes running through its territory.
Gaskins said he had “blanket permits” in place with the cities of Bridgeport and Clarksburg while at his previous post.
“All that takes is a permit. You fill out a permit, and you can do whatever you want on our roads. It’s that simple,” he said, noting some activities may require a permit and a written agreement.
These comments represented a sea change in both the tone and substance of feedback provided to the city in the past.
“We’ve been working on this for years and years and years, and we keep hoping that someone would say the things that you’re saying,” Deputy Mayor Jenny Selin said.
Part of mending the relationship, Gaskins continued, is defining expectations.
For example, local leadership is often frustrated by a lack of mowing and sweeping at the major entrances to the greater Morgantown area – particularly during high-visibility occasions like WVU graduation and sporting events.
“A lot of times what I see in municipalities, your standards are different than what the department of highways is … I don’t mow for aesthetics. I mow for the fundamentals of safety,” he said. “We’re not mowing to landscape. You guys mow for aesthetics.”
He said that there are activities, like patching or winter road treatment, the DOH could reimburse the city for once the proper paperwork is in place. That would not be the case, however, for something like extra mowing as it is a local standard beyond the fundamental responsibility of the DOH.
Senator Mike Oliverio, who invited Gaskins and his team to the meeting, said he would like to see an initial focus on what he’s dubbed a “high maintenance corridor” running from (I-79) Exit 155 at Star City to (I-68) Exit 7 at Pierpont.
“So rather than cutting the grass twice a year, we cut the grass in that corridor twice a month. Rather than a pothole forming and being repaired before Memorial Day … that pothole is repaired within X number of days,” Oliverio said. “If we could develop a high maintenance corridor and maintain it, it’ll be good in the spring. It’ll be good in fall. It’ll be good anytime.”
So, what can be done to make this happen?
“If it’s all up to the department of highways, nothing. We can keep talking about it until the cows come home,” Gaskins said. “If we join together and join forces, it’s very feasible. It’s something we can accomplish, but we’ve got to join our forces and work together.”
To that end, Gaskins introduced Maintenance Engineer Joe Pernell, who will serve as a direct liaison between District 4 and Monongalia County.
“I know you’ve heard this 1,000 times, but as long as I’m in office in District 4, and as long as I have my team, this offer is going to be there. We’ve got to get this line of communication taken care of. We’ve got to get working together,” Gaskins said. “We need to get reasonable expectations in place and move on like it’s 2025 and not 1940.”
