Photo by Britney Williams, courtesy Coal River Mountain Watch.
My buddy Davin White just posted a story on the Gazette Web site reporting that Massey Energy has pledged to contribute $1 million toward construction of a new Marsh Fork Elementary School in Raleigh County.
I’ve posted a copy of Massey CEO Don Blankenship’s letter to the school board here. Blankenship comments:
We’re proud of our longstanding partnership with Marsh Fork Elementary School and are pleased to partner with you to provide the students with a new school. We understand that you wish to replace the current school because it is over 70 years old and located in the floodplain. We hope our contribution will assist you.
Coal Tattoo has written about Marsh Fork Elementary many times before, describing its location adjacent to a Massey coal-processing plant and just down the hollow from a huge Massey impoundment. See previous posts here, here and here.
Davin tells me that the county has $1 million and also expects a $10,000 donation from the group Coal River Mountain Watch — so they’re asking for almost $6.6 million in state money. A decision by the School Building Authority is expected next month.
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Kudos to Coal River Mountain Watch for the kindness of its generous gift! No strings attached and no weasel-word letters (“We [Don's using the royal Victorian "we," one supposes] understand that you wish to build a school because it sits in the floodplain yada yada yada”). Just living its mission statement of “rebuilding sustainable communities.”
I have a question, Ken: is there any indication/information to suggest whether Massey (i.e. Don) will actually write a check, or will he try to “take it out in trade” and have MasseyPeople do the site prep or some such? What impact would such a deal have on the requirement that the school be built in accordance with West Virginia’s prevailing wage laws?
My question is born of the fact that the state of West Virginia has, in the past, allowed Massey to make payment in rocks. Should we expect more of the same?
Can’t we just say ‘thank you’ for all donations towards the school for goodness sake.
Great going Massey, you get a million dollar tax deduction and the state is left holding the bag to build another school in another location where the students won’t be exposed to coal dust and other toxins.
We could say Thank you, Watcher, and I for one am glad Massey finally stepped up and contributed – but I am also wary of a corporation that seldom does something for nothing.
coal river mountian watch says it will donate 10,000 to the project. Some commenters call this generous. Masssey Energy has pledged 1,000,000 to the project and its called shameful. Its just incredible that a corporation, that doesnt have to donate anything, can donate 100 times what a citizens group can and its ridiculed for it. If its in site prep or cold cash, does it make any difference in the end. Really
Only time will tell if Massey is making a $1 million in cash donation, but let’s wait and see. Get started building the new school up toward Beckley. Get it away from the silos and sludge dam. That should make all parties happy. Thanks to all who have made cash and check contributions to the new school.
Try to live together as good neighbors.
Watcher, when Massey writes the check for . . . (Dr. Evil voice) “one MILLION dollars,” I agree thanks will be in order. One does well not to count chickens before they hatch, nor to count Massey money before the check clears.
Actually, Scott, it DOES make a difference: West Virginia’s prevailing wage law says that labor costs are to be paid at prevailing wage for craft and area. As such, if Massey’s donation is “in kind” and not “in cash,” it will have to be a project-bidder and subject to the bidding process.
The process of building this much-needed new school will be enhanced if Blankenship just writes the check and refrains from trying to be part of the construction process. Here’s hoping they do exactly that. I will issue a personal “thank-you” if Don does it that way.
Sometimes, folks, things are what they are.
Shane Harvey, general counsel for Massey Energy, informs me that his understanding is that the company’s donation is to be a check for $1 million.
Ken.
That’s a beautiful thing, Ken! Thanks for finding out.
Perhaps Don is tired of getting his nose bloodied after all these years and decided to do something good. Unlikely, however, as his statement seems to make no mention of controversy, no apologies, no admission of responsibility, etc. Coal River Mountain Watch is making a much larger contribution for its size. If it weren’t for them, Don would not be making this wonderful gesture.
A new school is needed because of Massey. Massey donate $1 million and now the taxpayers have to come up with the rest of the money needed to construct the new school.