Paw Paw teams gear up concepts to spice up financial exercise, tourism – The Morgan Messenger

by Kate Shunney

Separate efforts to promote business and expand tourism in Paw Paw exchanged ideas and sought help from the Morgan County Commission last Thursday at a meeting to mark the 130th anniversary of the town’s incorporation.

The commissioners held their monthly meeting at Paw Paw City Hall and invited representatives from the two groups and representatives from the City of Paw Paw to discuss their plans and efforts already under way.

City Administrator Ron Davis, who stood on behalf of Mayor Darlene Abe, told district officials that the city’s water and sewer systems have not been upgraded pending funding and planning.

Paw Paw Town Manager Ron Davis briefs the Morgan County Commission on projects and priorities to improve the city.

Davis said the land owned by the city near the sewage treatment plant is also being upgraded to make it more “park-like”, including a new gravel road, rain gardens and tree planting.

Rain gardens are also being planted in the cemetery, park, and fire station to aid in flood control, Davis said.

In honor of the city’s 130th birthday, Davis said crews will plant 130 paw paws on site this fall.

“There are very few paw paw trees in town,” he said.

The city would like to add a small stage in the park for events and upgrade the playground equipment there. Davis said the historic restoration of the old fire station and prison was also on the list of projects to preserve the buildings.

City officials are looking for a small business to rent the small visitor center building near the Potomac Bridge in the summer.

As of June 30, Paw Paw will no longer have business and occupancy taxes for operations within the city limits. Instead, the council chose to abolish this tax and exchange it for an additional 1% sales tax on most transactions within the city limits. Davis said many cities in West Virginia chose to do the same.

Commissioner Bill Clark said he had attended some early meetings with a group of Paw Paw residents interested in promoting local business, employment opportunities and community events.

City-born Brandy Steele, who represents Paw Paw on the Morgan County Economic Development Authority (EDA), has led local meetings and used social media to brainstorm ideas about what businesses are needed and from locals and visitors get supported.

Steele said she was trying to get people involved and gauge the city council’s interest, create a separate Paw Paw economic development agency, or branch out from the county EDA to set up a Paw Paw committee. Steele said some other efforts included creating a QR code to post for visitors to take them to a website to learn more about the city, and researching canal and trail groups to work with.

Steele said another idea proposed on-site was to see if the West Virginia DNR would allow off-road trails in the Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area as a recreational attraction.

Leslie Aun, who heads a new nonprofit called the Paw Paw Proud Committee, said her group had also attended meetings with the Canal Town Partnership. Although Paw Paw is not yet a paying member of the group, she said the Canal Cities network is “eager to see us participate”.

Aun, who lives in Arlington, Virginia, said she and her husband had owned property in Paw Paw for 20 years and spent much of their time on-site during the COVID closures and began paying more attention to the city.

She said she thinks Paw Paw’s rich history should be highlighted for visitors and local amenities should attract tourists to help boost the city’s economy.

Aun said the community will not “get back into prosperity” on the backs of the people who live in the city, but rather pull money out of the pockets of tourists and cyclists who come along the canal.

She said the group is interested in organizing “microbursts of activity” like small shops or food trucks to attract travelers to Paw Paw.

“We leave easy money on the table,” said Aun.

“We definitely need to market ourselves better,” agreed Brandy Steele.

She said the EDA is working to clear areas of the Paw Paw industrial park to make those lots more marketable for businesses.

Commissioner Clark and Commission President Joel Tuttle offered to assist the county in aligning grant funds and coordinating with the agencies to advance Paw Paw’s proposals.

Broadband expansion

In other business areas, the Morgan County Commission cleared the spending of $ 4,175 to pay Morgan Wireless to build a 60-foot building. Self-supporting tower in Paw Paw Old Town Hall to house broadband internet service provider equipment.

Morgan Wireless, based in Berkeley Springs, is a broadband Internet service provider. Company representative Ron Martin said the group would like to place their gear on the new tower in the future to expand the internet in the city.

Commissioner Tuttle said the tower will have access to Morgan Wireless equipment on the Purslane tower, which will carry that signal into Paw Paw.

Three more towers are being planned or are being built in partnership with the Morgan County Board of Education and the City of Paw Paw to expand Internet access.

Brandy Steele asked how local residents could help in the internet expansion effort.

Martin said Morgan Wireless is looking for customers and land at higher elevations to build more towers in the area.

“I’m pretty sure you could all have Frontier customers if it happens,” said Steele.

Morgan County’s officers met on April 8 at the Paw Paw Fire Hall for a monthly meeting. The photo from left shows District Administrator Stefanie Allemong, Commission Secretary Anna Padilla, Commission President Joel Tuttle and Commissioner Bill Clark.