NEW ATTRACTION PITCHED — The Brooke County Commission heard from Buster Bowman and Pam Barchiesi, who expressed interest in establishing a new haunted attraction and year-round facility for family entertainment in the county. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Commission received an update Tuesday on efforts to replace the Market Street Bridge and learned of interest in establishing a haunted attraction and family-oriented entertainment center in the county.

Mike Paprocki, executive director of the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission, said he, state Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Wellsburg; and Commission President A.J. Thomas have reached out to officials at the federal and state levels in West Virginia and Ohio to encourage support for the replacement bridge.

Paprocki said the efforts have included conversations with leaders of the West Virginia Department of Transportation that he considers very positive.

He noted U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., the highest-ranking member of the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee, has been a vocal supporter of the project.

Paprocki noted WVDOT has allocated $1.8 million for preliminary efforts and is expected to advertise for an engineering firm for that purpose.

But he added a 100 percent local match still is needed for $87.5 million awarded for the project through the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment program.

Paprocki said the match could include money from West Virginia, Ohio or both and up to 30 percent in funds from another federal agency.

Thomas, who chairs BHJ’s executive board, said he recently called an emergency meeting of the panel and invited officials from Follansbee and Steubenville to express the need to expedite the project.

“My message was we want to cut the brakes. We can’t slow down on this process,” he said.

Thomas said he wants to be able to provide a realistic timeline to businesses that have been impacted by the closing of the Market Street Bridge.

The 119-year-old span was closed indefinitely by WVDOT on Dec. 21 after inspectors found deteriorating support cables within the structure.

Paprocki attended Tuesday’s commission meeting to seek their involvement in a tri-county coalition supporting BHJ’s application for a $1.2 million brownfield assessment grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

He said the moral support of the Hancock and Jefferson county commissions also will be sought for the application, which also will involve the Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle.

Paprocki noted in the past, BHJ has secured grants for a number of assessments and cleanups of former industrial sites, including the present site of the Beech Bottom Industrial Park, former Follansbee Steel property now owned by the Port of West Virginia and former Brooke Glass factory in Wellsburg.

He said future sites eyed by BHJ include former Weirton Steel property on Browns Island and property south of Beech Bottom once occupied by Power, a community once based around a massive power plant.

The commissioners also heard from Pam Barchiesi, a former volunteer organizer of Brooke Hills Spookhouse; and Buster Bowman, who has operated The Dark View haunted attraction in Toronto for many years and currently, in Cadiz.

The two told the commission they are interested in converting the Brooke Glass building for use as a haunted attraction and year-round facility for family entertainment.

Bowman noted as owner of Screwy Louie’s, he has specialized in bounce houses, arcade games and other amusements.

The commissioners noted the BDC acquired the former glass factory and conducted an environmental cleanup of the site, but the building still has some structural issues to overcome.

Thomas encouraged the two to continue talks with the BDC but added there may be other locations in Brooke County that would be suited for the site.

County Commissioner Stacey Wise told them, “I’ll come up with a list for you. I love the idea.”

Also on Thursday:

• County Clerk Kimberly Barbetta noted early voting will continue on the ground floor of the county courthouse from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday.

Barbetta said turnout for early voting has set a new record, with well over 1,700 casting their ballots since it began on Oct. 23. She said well over 400 turned out on that first day, and the number of voters has averaged 400 per day since.

She said despite the turnout, the wait for most voters hasn’t exceeded 10 or 15 minutes.

Barbetta noted polls will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday for Election Day. Each voter should bring a voter registration card, driver’s license or other accepted form of identification.

Those with questions should call (304) 737-3661 or visit https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/BeReg.

• The commission agreed to allot $4,000 to the West Virginia Route 2 and Interstate 68 Authority, a volunteer board formed by the West Virginia Legislature to promote the expansion of the two highways.

It was noted one of two seats representing Brooke County on the board remains open.

Those who are interested should send a letter of interest to the county clerk’s office at the county courthouse.

• The commission accepted the resignation of Jaetin Popish as the county’s dog warden. Popish recently was hired as a Brooke County sheriff’s deputy.

• The commission reminded everyone that trick or treat hours on Thursday are 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Weirton, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Follansbee and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Wellsburg and unincorporated areas of Brooke County.