Tech Park's Future Reportedly Close to Being Decided
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Updated: 2:25 PM Feb 17, 2010
Tech Park's Future Reportedly Close to Being Decided
The future of the Dow Technology Park and hundreds of jobs in South Charleston remained unclear Tuesday night. But state and local leaders say they're closer to an agreement.
Posted: 8:54 PM Feb 16, 2010
Reporter: Kallie Cart; Anna Baxter
Email Address: kallie.cart@wsaz.com; anna.baxter@wsaz.com
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UPDATE from 6pm Newscast
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The future of the Dow Technology Park and hundreds of jobs in South Charleston remained unclear Tuesday night.

But state and local leaders say they're closer to an agreement. They met behind closed doors to try and work out a deal.

Annexation, which received objection from officials in both Charleston and South Charleston, was ruled out. Gov. Joe Manchin had proposed annexing part of the park from South Charleston to Charleston to make it legal for state offices to move in.

But that is no longer part of the plan, so agencies like the West Virginia Lottery will stay put. Manchin's hope is to turn the park into a research facility for state agencies and private companies. Manchin wants to move the Higher Education Policy Commission, Department of Health and Human Resources and state agricultural and police Labs to the site.

The issue now is the cost. Dow is donating the park and giving the state $10 million to use to make changes to the facility in the next year. But it will still cost the state. Right now, Dow spends about $8 million a year to maintain the facility. Manchin says the state would demolish some buildings to bring down the maintenance cost to about $2 million a year.

South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens says this is the best case scenario now that annexation is off the table. Meanwhile, leaders are still up against the clock. A decision needs to be made by March 1 or Dow could close down the facility and start tearing down the buildings. That would mean more than 500 workers who are currently there would be forced out.

Governor Manchin plans to meet with his real estate division on Monday to work out all the details and see if the deal is possible.


UPDATE @ 2:53pm
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Despite requests from local media outlets to be allowed into the tech park meeting, the governor decided to keep the doors closed.

WSAZ joined with the Daily Mail, the Charleston Gazette and 58WCHS in expressing concern that the meeting was being held in private.

Among concerns is the discussion of public money and a large delegation of elected officials meeting in private.

In a letter to the governor the Daily Mail said in part, "Today's meeting is widely expected to discuss the use of public money. A large number of public servants, both elected and appointed, are expected to attend. The newspaper believes that holding the meeting in private violates the state's Open Governmental Proceedings Act (State Code Chapter 6, Article 9A).

"The Daily Mail believes a quorum of one or more statutory bodies may be present at the meeting, possibly including but not limited to the Kanawha County Commission, the South Charleston City Council and the Higher Education Policy Commission."

All three members of the Kanawha County Commission attended Tuesday's meeting.

The meeting was held in a portion of the Dow Technology Park that is behind a security gate, so members of the media weren't allowed near the building.

Commissioner Kent Carper of Kanawha County says he expressed his concerns to the governor Tuesday morning about the need for the meeting to be open to the public and media.

A letter was delivered to the governor. A representative from his office says he understands the concerns, but decided to keep the doors closed.

At a news conference which followed the meeting, Manchin said he didn't see the letter and that everything was done the right way. He says he wanted to make sure that all of the players felt free to speak their minds and that the media can be intimidating.

Commissioner Carper says the closed-door meeting was more of a "tutorial" of how the tech park operated and what it cost to operate. Carper says they did not discuss finances. He said if it had been brought up, he would have refused to participate.



CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Charleston Mayor Danny Jones won't attend a meeting Tuesday about the future of the South Charleston Technology Park, but he will make sure the city is represented.

Over the weekend, Jones told WSAZ.com Charleston wasn't a stakeholder in this debate so he would not be attending the meeting. The mayor was already scheduled to attend a meeting concerning the city's pension plan.

However, it appears Mayor Jones had a change of heart. Early Tuesday morning the mayor's office released a statement saying City Manager, David Molgaard and City Attorney Paul Ellis will be at the meeting.

“I have asked our City Manager, David Molgaard, and City Attorney, Paul Ellis, to attend the meeting this afternoon at the Dow Tech Park," Mayor Jones said. "David is both the top official in my administration and a lawyer who understands thoroughly the legal and political issues involved with the matter."

Dow offered to donate the South Charleston Technology Park to the state, but the plan has run into problems because Governor Joe Manchin says they only way the deal can happen is if he can move state agencies to the park. That would mean a part of the park would have to be annexed into the City of Charleston.

That is a plan both mayors of South Charleston and Charleston oppose.

That's why the governor called a special meeting Tuesday to discuss the project. He hopes the meeting will help local, county and state officials to come up with a compromise.

"For the City of Charleston, this remains a legal issue centered on the West Virginia Constitution, and moving state offices out of the city fundamentally is not an option," Mayor Jones said. “I respect this Governor, have been supportive of this Governor and, on several occasions, have defended his leadership. So I will make sure the city is well represented at the meeting he is arranging today.”

Latest Comments

Posted by: BillyKeen on Feb 18, 2010 at 09:03 PM

This was not a good idea, if Charleston isn't the center of the state then why is it the state capitol
Posted by: Bill on Feb 17, 2010 at 07:47 PM

This project is good for WV in general but not for the city of Charleston in particular. So guess what? Charleston will win at the expense of the rest of the state. Doesn't everyone understand that Charleston is the center of the universe and the only thing that matters in WV?
Posted by: WV on Feb 17, 2010 at 08:22 AM

All those bashing Gov Manchin, no politician is always good, nor always looks out for the best interest of the people. Not seen one yet, but remember who is keeping the lights on in WV and who is fighting to maintain a surplus. He even goes across party lines and supports Republican ways. That is a try politician, one who tries to lookout for the best interest of all his/her people regardless of party relations. Some meetings needs to be behind close doors so people can speak freely without worrying how the news is going to turn it around on them and their constituents. I'm sure not everyone opens their doors when they are discussing business. This includes mom and pop stores...
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