May 4—In a split decision on Tuesday, Raleigh County Commission voted to appoint New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) Executive Director Jina Belcher to the Raleigh County Memorial Airport Board.
Later, NRGRDA Chair Rob Rappold said that the 14-member NRGRDA board, made up of members from four counties, had voted prior to the Tuesday meeting that Belcher should not be appointed to the board.
According to Rappold, NRGRDA members had reached out to the State Ethics Commission to ask if Belcher, who leads development projects at the airport in her position at NRGRDA, could ethically serve on the airport's decision-making board.
He reported that the Ethics Commission advised Belcher could serve on the airport authority as long as neither NRGRDA nor the airport board had contributed to each other financially, and so long as the NRGRDA board of directors unanimously approved Belcher's appointment.
During the NRGRDA vote, Rappold said, a majority of board members voted against the appointment.
During the Tuesday meeting of Raleigh Commission, Raleigh Commission President Dave Tolliver said that two qualified candidates — Belcher and local businessman Donnie Holcomb — had been presented to fill the vacancy on the airport board.
"I made the request to put Donnie Holcomb on the agenda," said Commissioner Greg Duckworth, who is also a member of the NRGRDA board.
"So if you're insistent on approving her today, I would suggest we wait to hear from the chairman of the board.
"I can tell you, sitting here today, her board did not approve that she can take this appointment."
Commissioner Linda K. Epling said that she wanted Belcher to serve on the airport authority.
"The way I look at that, my number one commitment is to the Raleigh County Airport Authority," she said. "We need someone there."
Later in the discussion, Epling suggested that NRGRDA did not have the authority to prioritize commission's appointments to various boards.
Duckworth said he also believes that commission is first and that he is "very interested" in the airport authority.
He noted that Belcher has brought funding to the airport and that she is already highly involved with the airport.
"So why not add somebody that's developed properties from the Bahamas to Canada?" asked Duckworth, in reference to Holcomb.
Duckworth said that if Holcomb were appointed, the authority would benefit from the input of both Belcher and Holcomb.
Tolliver, a Wyoming County native, noted that Holcomb is highly recommended and that he is a good candidate. He quipped that Holcomb is also a native of Wyoming County.
Belcher, too, is from Wyoming County.
Despite Holcomb's resumé, Tolliver said he would agree with Epling to make an initial appointment of Belcher to the airport authority
"Now if we get a letter from their chairman or whoever, stating that they will not allow her to serve on this board, then the commission will go to Phase 2," Tolliver said. "If they won't let her, then we'll come back to that and appoint someone to this board."
Tolliver noted Duckworth's report that the NRGRDA board was not in favor of Belcher serving on the airport authority.
NRGRDA supports economic development efforts in Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh and Summers counties, and board members are made up of those from all four counties, said Rappold.
The Raleigh County Memorial Airport Authority makes decisions regarding the airport and surrounding industrial park, which is at Beaver.
Belcher worked with retired airport manager Tom Cochran to bring an aerospace jobs program and other ventures to Raleigh County, and she has secured millions in funding for park development.
Holcomb owned and operated a large Ford dealership in Beckley and has developed properties in the U.S. and abroad.
Holcomb is registered as an Independent voter and would therefore meet guidelines that require political diversity on the airport authority in case Rappold advises commission that Belcher's appointment would go against a prior NRGRDA board decision.
It is also possible that commission could appoint another candidate.
Tolliver explained Tuesday evening that the reason Commission voted to appoint Belcher, despite Duckworth's report from the NRGRDA board, is because of her past accomplishments.
"The number one reason we appointed her ... she has brought in millions of dollars to Raleigh County through NRGRDA, and she has brought in, literally, and I'm not exaggerating, hundreds of jobs to Raleigh County.
"We just felt she does so much work out at the airport, she would be a good fit for the board of directors."
Tolliver said he had also checked with the Ethics Commission and had been advised there was no conflict of interest for Belcher to serve on the airport authority, but he said he is expecting a letter from Rappold that will deny Belcher's appointment.
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