A Great Turn out for a Great Cause

Sunday night was huge success for the can food drive held at Ember Restaurant at Soaring Eagle Lodge at Snowshoe Mountain. The drive was to benefit Family Resource Network in Pocahontas County.

“Snowshoe did what Snowshoe does best!” said Brian Ball, owner of Ember Restaurant. Brian was referring to coming out for a good cause to help a fellow neighbor. “This will help stock the pantries of a hundred Pocahontas Countians in need”.

With a donation of a canned food item or of cash, admittance was free with cocktails and a sample of the menu items on the Ember menu. Any tips made by the bartenders were donated as well. Cooks and servers from around the resort restaurants and Ember Chef Ann Sanborn volunteered to cook and serve and John Foster spun the tunes for free.

Menu items such as sushi rolls, three cheese toast, and Mediterranean chicken were passed around the dining room with compliments of red and white wine. Nearly four hundred Snowshoe locals attended the event showing their support for the surrounding counties.

“It was a great way to start off the new ski season, I was able to meet the resort directors and employees in a casual atmosphere.” said James May, a new employee to Snowshoe Mountain Resort.

A great turn out for a great cause, that’s why Snowshoe is a great community to live in!!

Incorporating Snowshoe??

There has been a conversation started in the blogs and at the drinking fountain about what if Snowshoe were to become incorporated. This prompted me to research some on the subject.

To incorporate a town, you'll need a lawyer who can handle the paperwork. Once you've decided on where to put your town, the first step toward Snowshoe town is to get a petition signed by some of the people who live there. You'll need 10 percent of the voters.

An application for forming a town includes the signed petition, a proposed name, and—in some cases—a proposed form of government. There are four basic town governments to choose from—mayor-council, council-manager, commission, or representative town meeting—but some states' laws limit your options depending on the size of your community. Once you complete your application, all you typically need is a "yes" vote from your neighbors and the approval of a county judge or state official. In some places, though, a town charter must be granted by vote of the state legislature.

Depending on where you live, you may face certain restrictions on your right to incorporate. Your proposed town may need to have a minimum number of people, for example, or it may need to be a minimum distance from other towns and cities. The description of where it is should be very specific.

An unincorporated community gets its services from the county without paying municipal taxes, so frivolous town-founding can be a bad idea. Why might you want to incorporate? Unincorporated communities have very little control over what gets built in the area. But towns can control their own zoning—and thereby protect their property values. New taxes can be collected such as:

Property

License fees

Business

Liquor

Gaming

Inter-government

Fuel tax

Cigarette

Liquor

Real estate transfers

Relief

County and road money

Motor vehicle privilege tax

Fines and forfeitures

On the other hand though there are new expenses to be calculated in such as:

Payroll:

Mayor

Police force

Public works

Maintenance

Fire Dept

School

Insurance

Snowshoe already has several of these.

Most ski towns are just that “towns”. The ski resorts are a big part of the survival of the town, but are independent from the town. Snowshoe seems to run like a town but with the exception of democracy for the residents. When Snowshoe decides to close completely during mud season (spring, fall) the residents, nearly 300 plus, are left with very little in the means of provisions and entertainment. A drive to Elkins or Marlinton is the only solution, but then we are giving those towns the revenues when it should be staying in the Snowshoe area. With a city government it would be a town decision not a company decision which would give the locals more control over the quality of life.

The option of inviting other businesses into the town is another plus for the residents. How many times have you wanted a Taco Bell after working late? Real estate values could increase with more conveniences for home owners as well as more year round residents. Brecken ridge Colorado had to implement a law for year round residents only to be able to vote on city affairs which keeps the control for the year rounders.

An education system would be a great addition to the area, especially an elementary school.

If you have any input or comments please go to the blog area of this web site and let it be heard.

We have been an advocate of incorporation for a long time. It just makes sense, gives the local people at Snowshoe some input into the matter. We hope it catches on! It is very easy to do!

This "conservator" idea is stillborn. It won't work because it is clearly illegal. You have to have 50 people per square mile to form a "conservator" district and there is not enough people up there for that. The larger the district, the harder it is because you lose your 50 people per square mile.

The CC is barking up the wrong tree on this one. I personally think that this is merely a way to give Ben Wilfong his job back and from what I hear it may be that Robbie Alkire will be back too!

if they put those 2 as cops at snowshoe ill tell everyone i meet here in florida to not go to snowshoe

putting officers w/questionable back rounds on the Mtn would be bad for the ole economy. one "slip up" like shooting your gun when upset, or theft or what ever...and it will be seen every time you google snowshoe or pocahontas county. seriously get rid of the corruption. people do not have to go there. I go there because it is a great place with awesome places to have fun. Tucker county aint bad either. People will go there. That's money out of the locals pockets.

peace

i should change my name to ding-y cause i can't find your website, a little help? thanx