BY JOHN CONLEY

Associate Editor

A $950,000 USDA Rural Development grant will help the Town of Pineville complete Phase I of its water project.

The Water and Waste Disposal grant "will bring the last 85 customers in Glover and Wyoming on to the Pineville water system," said Pineville Mayor Tim Ellison. "With the additional funds, we are able to complete the project from Mullensville to Wyoming."

The last two homes in Wyoming had been brought on line last week, Ellison indicated.

Funding was announced last week by Robert D. "Bobby" Lewis, state director for Rural Development.

Grants totaling $3,018,900 were originally awarded for the project, which upgraded the existing water treatment facility and extended service to 85 customers without safe or reliable drinking water.

With the latest grant, the total funding packages equals $3,968,900.

Ellison says he and members of the Town Council "have made numerous trips to Charleston for meetings and have spent countless hours working with Gov. Manchin, Congressman Rahall, RUS (Rural Utilities Service) and Rural Water Development, Senator Browning, Delegates Linda Phillips and Daniel Hall, (County Clerk) Mike Goode, Region I and the Wyoming County Commission to secure the additional funds needed to complete this project.

"Wyoming County is fortunate to have the representation we have in Charleston and also the officials we have here in the county," he added.

Rural Development serves as the lead federal entity for rural development needs and administers program assistance through its housing, business/cooperative, community and infrastructure programs.