“My name is Pam Nichols. I reside at 648 Hood Avenue.” Nichols had ventured to Clarksburg last Wednesday to address the Harrison County Commission about damage done to her home by the collapse of the old Chrysler building on 740 Hood Avenue.
One of the most important voices not yet heard from in the Hood Avenue issue that plagued Shinnston last month was Nichols. Though the Matheny Chrysler structure’s collapse and blockage of US Route 19 took center stage in discussions, the disruption caused by the collapse threatens the home of Nichols and her family.
As she explained, “This has been my family home for nearly 20 years and everybody in this neighborhood watches out for each other.” She went on to share that the collapse of the building at 740 Hood Avenue “has caused many issues.”
She spoke during the public comment period. County Commissioners and other officials may not interrupt, ask questions, nor interact in any way with an individual during public comment until their allotted time has expired. This law protects the right of the public to speak unencumbered within the bounds of time, taste, and good sense.
Commissioners have remained sympathetic to the plight of Nichols through the process, mentioning repeatedly the problems she was facing without naming her personally. In the first regular meeting of the month of July, Harrison County Administrator Laura Pysz-Laulis commented that “we are all concerned about the woman who lives next door to it.”
Susan Thomas, Harrison County Commission President commented later that “I’d like to see this done as quickly as possible, but we have to protect that woman’s house.” Pysz-Laulis responded that “the main concern is with that house and that lady.”
“Throughout this process, Pegi Bailey (Harrison County Office of Emergency Management) has been our only source of information. Outside of her, we have not been provided any information,” said Nichols during the final meeting held in July.
She went on to add that she attended a meeting on July 28 at the site of the collapse. “I was informed,” she said, ” that I needed to move out of my home in which we’d lived for decades.” Nichols noted that at the meeting, she’d received a “promise of funding and help relocating” that has not yet manifested.
“We are now having to find and place ourselves. This is generally unrealistic.” Nichols explained that they would need to rent temporarily as they either see their current residence made safe or need to locate a permanent residence, but that “despite my calls, hours on the phone, and trying our hardest, nobody is willing to rent short term.”
Rentals have grown more difficult to acquire in recent years. Rampant tenant abuse of residences make landlords much more wary to lend than in previous times. Plus, they must protect themselves by charging higher rents and vetting out unsuitable candidates in an attempt to avoid heavy costs from damaged units. Long term leases protect their interests as well. This, unfortunately, puts honest renters in an unavoidable bind.
“With next to no options, we became victims without support,” said Nichols. She told the Commission “as much as we’d rather stay, this is not a luxury we can afford.” Nichols asked that “in the planning of Phase Two, please include the house on the hill, my home, in case it doesn’t stay standing, please give it as much attention as you are giving the building . . . I am the victim of this situation and we don’t want to be homeless.”
Later in the meeting, Thomas and Commissioner David Hinkle held an executive session with officials from the McKinley firm handling the site. Thomas and Hinkle invited Nichols to join the meeting, at least for part of it, so they could engage her concerns and figure a way forward. The session resulted in no action voted on or announced.
Commissioner Patsy Trecost was absent for this meeting.
