By Greg Jordan, the Princeton Times
PRINCETON, W.Va. — A new authority created to bring interconnecting hiking trails, equestrian trails, bicycle trails and kayaking to several southern West Virginia counties is organizing its membership as the trail system starts to form.
The Southern West Virginia Non-Motorized Trail Authority is working on developing a six-county non-motorized trail system for hiking, kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking and draisine trail systems along with an equestrian trail system. Commissioner Bill Archer of the Mercer County Commission has been visiting Raleigh, Summers, Monroe, McDowell and Wyoming Counties to help organize the new agency.
Archer said that the participating county commissions have been sent a letter outlying who should be appointed to serve on the new authority’s board of directors.
“The letter said that participating counties need to select two members for the authority, and the bylaws state that one has to be somebody committed to nature and nature conservancy, and also to trails and outdoor activities,” Archer said. The other member has to be from an elected department in the county: one of the three commissioners, the county clerk, the circuit court clerk or the sheriff. The reason for that is that the elected officials have a responsibility to be beholding to the public, and I think that’s an important element of our trail.” …
