LOGAN — The Logan County Commission voted Monday to give local theatrical production company The Aracoma Story, Inc. $30,000, funding which company officials say will go toward lighting upgrades and an upcoming reunion event.
Former Logan County Circuit Judge Eric “Bo” O’Briant addressed the commission to make the financial request. Speaking on behalf of his wife Diana O’Briant, who serves as president of The Aracoma Story, O’Briant detailed some of the history of both the company and its titular production, “The Aracoma Story.”
O’Briant said this year marks the 50th anniversary of the company producing shows and to celebrate that occasion, a reunion event is planned for the first weekend in August.
“This year is the 50th anniversary of shows that have been presented by The Aracoma Story,” O’Briant said. “Not ‘The Aracoma Story’ itself, because some years, we did not do that individual production, but it’s the 50th year that they’ve done something, and they’re planning a reunion the first Saturday in August and we’ll have like a daylong celebration where we’ll be inviting back all the participants that have taken part in the many, many shows that they’ve done over the years.”
O’Briant said that thanks to outside assistance, the company recently got to install a new sound system. The company’s next project, he said, is to upgrade the lighting to a modern LED-based system.
With the impending reunion and lighting project, O’Briant formally requested $30,000 for the company, which is $5,000 more than what they were given in 2023 and $10,000 more than 2022 and years before.
“On behalf of The Aracoma Story, because of the upcoming reunion and the lighting project, they are requesting $30,000 from the commission to assist with the productions,” O’Briant said.
Commissioners unanimously voted to grant the company with $30,000. Reiterating a point she made two years ago when the commission gave The Aracoma Story money, Commission President Diana Barnette said the company’s productions play a pivotal role in local tourism efforts.
Barnette said the money given to The Aracoma Story comes from the county’s hotel/motel tax revenue and not local taxpayer revenue. She said that money has to be allocated only toward tourism-related efforts.
“The money that we collect from the hotel/motel tax is split with the Hatfield & McCoy Convention and Visitors Bureau,” Barnette said. “That money is to be spent for things like that, so the money that we donate for The Aracoma Story and for other marketing projects for tourism, this is part of our tourism package. The Aracoma Story brings in a lot of folks. They add it to their agenda when they come to ride the trails. We market it everywhere, so I just want to let the general public know that it’s not your tax dollars. This is tourism tax dollars that’s coming in.”
In other news from Monday’s commission meeting, commissioners:
Gave $40,000 to Hamlin-based Tri River Transit Authority, which is the same amount given in the past to help provide the company’s bus services in the county
Gave $2,500 to the Town of Chapmanville to help provide the entertainment during their annual Apple Butter Festival which will be held at the end of September
Approved the annual municipal site plan agreement with the AirMedCare Network.
Approved a drawdown in the amount of $106,001.74, an invoice from GigaBeam Networks in the amount of $102,720.84, and two invoices from the Region 2 Planning and Development Council totaling $3,280.90. The drawdown and invoices pertain to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) broadband expansion project currently underway in Logan and Mingo counties.
Approved the reappointment of Chad Lilly to the Logan County Airport Authority board for a two-year term and the reappointment of Austin Workman to the Logan County Board of Health for a five year term
Approved the reappointment of Faron Williamson to the Logan County Solid Waste Authority board for a term of four years
Accepted a $102,586 grant award from the Justice Reinvestment Initiative Treatment Supervision program for the Southwestern Regional Day Report Center
The next meeting of the Logan County Commission will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, July 15 inside the commission’s building at 325 Stratton St. in downtown Logan.