| By Bob Weaver
ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY
A business deal over Grantsville's crumbling town hall is up in the air, as voters go to the polls Tuesday to elect a mayor and five council members.
The disposition is on hold after a 30-day restraining order was issued by Judge David Nibert.
The town hall, according to Mayor Gary Knight and other officials, is a safety hazard. He says the town does not have funds to repair the building.
The Morris and Satterfield business interests are attempting separate trade deals for the town property. After council approved Satterfield's proposal with only three council members present, the Morris family interests obtained a restraining order against the town and Satterfield.
The restraining order lists numerous items, questioning the legality of the Satterfield deal, and further questioning whether due process was followed by town officials.
Knight said he was disappointed The Calhoun Chronicle, owned by the Morris family, devoted columns to their objection of the Satterfield project, but failed to publish "the positive facts about his proposal."
Knight, who is seeking re-election, supports the Satterfield project.
Satterfield said he wants to build a $750,000 convenience store on town property, which he says would create six or seven jobs, increase business traffic and put tax money in the town coffers.
Satterfield proposes to build a new town hall on property he owns on Main Street in exchange for the municipal property. Knight contends such a trade is allowable under state code.
Knight said the plaintiffs in the civil action "are or have been in the employment of the Morris family, who have attempted to secure the property for themselves," and have little justification for their objections.
The Mayor said Satterfield's proposal has been on the table for several years, and no other party has presented a comparable offer. "This deal has been known, rejected several times and re-thought," he said.
Businessman Jim Morris has proposed trading two buildings on Court Street for the town property, where he says he will build an office building to attract high-tech professional people to the town.
Morris said the town needs to look at all their options.
Both proposals would leave all or part of the existing town parking lot in place.
Other issues involve the disposition of old gasoline tanks under the Satterfield site, with the real estate proposed for trade by Morris being on the flood plain.
Mayoral candidate Neil Blankenship told The Calhoun Chronicle he would like to build a new town hall on the existing site. He said he has not seen the Satterfield proposal in writing.
Blankenship said he wants to see the town operated more efficiently, the laws and ordinances enforced. "I want the public to know what is going on, and try and make the town a better place," he said.
Knight said he will stand on his record. "The town finances and books were in really bad shape, but we're in the black now," he said.
The new council will likely decide the disposition of the town property.
Candidates running for council include Mike Wilson, Bryan Toney, Charles Whipkey, Bonnie Brown, Clarice Whytsell, Keith Smith, Eugene Shaffer, Peggy Cain and Loretta Stevens. Five will be elected.
Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.
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