All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Appalachian Impact, Upshur County Commission iron out details for use of Hampton Community Building

County commissioners Sam Nolte, Kristie Tenney and Terry Cutright speak via teleconference with Justin Bowers.
County commissioners Sam Nolte, Kristie Tenney and Terry Cutright speak via teleconference with Justin Bowers.

BUCKHANNON – The Upshur County Commission voted to develop an agreement with Appalachian Impact so the nonprofit organization may utilize the Hampton Community Building.

Justin Bowers with Appalachian Impact called into the Nov. 18 Upshur County Commission meeting to discuss whether his organization could make improvements to the building in the future.

“We did go see it — we took a couple of trips out there with our different board members, and I think we’re very interested,” Bowers said. “I think the biggest questions we had was whether there would be a chance of making some improvements and whether that would be shared or not. Mainly, we want to we want to make sure that we would have hot water down the road.”

Appalachian Impact was founded nine years ago to help at-risk children by operating mentoring programs in the schools; offering summer community camps that focus on literacy and creative arts; and developing a leadership cohorts program.

Bowers inquired as to whether they could lease the building for longer than one year.

“The only other question we really had was, if this would just be a year-to-year agreement or we could consider locking in something for two or three years to ensure there was going to be some longevity,” Bowers said. “But we’re definitely very interested in the property.”

Commissioner Sam Nolte said the county hadn’t budgeted any improvements to the building, so those would fall to Appalachian Impact, and he preferred a year-to-year lease that could be renewed on an ongoing basis.

“I might be inclined to do a year-a-year. That way you would continually have the option to renew the lease, which really isn’t costing you anything,” he said. “As far as repairs and maintenance, I think that that would be something you have to find in your budget. We had the choice to take on this property, which was basically given to us. We were going to put it out to auction to sell it, but we put it out there for organizations like yourself — but it’s not an extra expense the county is interested in taking on right now.”

Bowers agreed those terms would work, but he wanted to make sure Appalachian Impact would have first rights to renew the lease.

“I think that makes perfect sense, if we need to keep it year-to-year, if it has language that that we get first right to renew — that’s really all we’re looking for,” Bowers told the commission. “We don’t want to end up at a place with a new commission saying they want the building back and trying to figure out where to have programs. All of that makes sense; I think we would be good with that. I’ll have to go back to our board and get final approval, but we feel really good about it.”

Upshur County Commission president Kristie Tenney said they could make the lease $1 a year after they receive an official approval letter from the Appalachian Impact board.

“We would probably put that back on the agenda for official approval after you get your approval from your board and then move forward from there,” Tenney said. “Once you speak to them, Mr. Bowers, you just need to submit the request as a letter.”

Bowes originally approached the commission to request use of the building Oct. 28, when he said they would use the property for their various programs that help at risk youth.

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Upshur County Relay for Life aims to raise $35,000 for cancer research on July 19

The Upshur County Relay for Life will host its annual event July 19 at Jawbone Park, aiming to raise $35,000 for cancer research while celebrating survivors and bringing the community together through activities and remembrance ceremonies.

WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital team members engage in statewide healthcare leadership program

Two WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital employees were honored by the West Virginia Hospital Association Leadership Academy, with Paula Cutright graduating and Matthew Scott selected for future participation in the statewide healthcare leadership program.

Post 7 drops outings to Doddridge and Morgantown

Buckhannon Post 7 suffered consecutive road defeats, falling 10-2 to Doddridge County and 11-0 to Morgantown Post 2, dropping their season record to 2-15.

Summer basketball league begins week two

The Upshur County Summer Basketball League entered its second week with standout performances from top scorers including Cory Harper, Dalton Hamrick, Cordell Nicola, and Vinny Snuffer leading their teams across multiple games.

Buckhannon City Council Special Meeting Agenda: July 15, 2025

The Buckhannon City Council has released the agenda for its special meeting scheduled for July 15, 2025.

BCT to light up the stage with Mamma Mia starting this weekend

Buckhannon Community Theatre will present the musical Mamma Mia! at the Colonial Arts Center starting July 12, featuring ABBA hits, lively performances, and a cast assembled from across the region.

St. Joseph’s Hospital supports healthy habits with mile-long midday walks

WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital has launched a noon walk initiative, inviting staff and community members to join daily one-mile walks to promote physical activity and improve health outcomes.

John Paul Ingram

John Paul Ingram, 83, a beloved Buckhannon resident, ordained minister, and avid outdoorsman who shared his faith and kindness with many, died July 6, 2025, surrounded by his family.

Wesleyan finishes seventh in MEC Commissioners Cup standings

West Virginia Wesleyan finished seventh in the 2024-25 Mountain East Conference Commissioner’s Cup standings, while the University of Charleston captured its eighth consecutive and tenth overall title for all-around athletic excellence.