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Brooke County clerk retiring

BENZO RETIRING — County Clerk Sylvia Benzo received a standing ovation during Tuesday’s Brooke County Commissioners meeting for her 48 years of service to the community. Benzo announced her retirement that will be effective June 14. Among those congratulating Benzo was Commissioner Tim Ennis. -- Taryn Linder

WELLSBURG — After serving 48 years as the Brooke County clerk, Sylvia Benzo announced her retirement, effective June 14.

“Your retirement will leave a void in the county,” Commissioner Tim Ennis said at Tuesday’s Brooke County Commission meeting.

Ennis described Benzo as a “true public servant.”

“It’s time,” said Benzo. “It’s been a long, wonderful 48 years.”

Other matters discussed during Tuesday’s meeting included the construction of a veterans’ memorial in Beech Bottom.

“The village is in partnership with a group from Power, W.Va.,” Vice Mayor Bob Sadler said. “We are in the process of erecting a veteran’s memorial across from the powerplant.”

Sadler said Power used to be a community next to Beech Bottom that housed the employees of the powerplant.

At the peak of its operation, the plant employed about 330 people, many of whom lived in houses built nearby by their employer. Many others rode a streetcar that passed through the community, according to the Ohio Power Review, the company’s newspaper. By the 1940s, Power had a post office, community hall, restaurant, bowling alley and Wickham’s — a general store where Windsor Power employees and others could purchase items on credit.

But by 1973 the plant was closed, replaced by other facilities, and its many houses and businesses were demolished, according to information from the Brooke County Genealogy group.

“The memorial is meant to represent all the service people who lived in Power,” noted Sadler.

In other announcements, the commissioners received a letter from the Division of Highways regarding the community’s concerns about large trucks using Rabbit Hill Road.

The DOH informed the commissioners that they have installed two warnings signs and have ordered additional signage.

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