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Incoming Wood County official donates land

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Bob Tebay publicly offered to donate 34 acres he owns in the Lubeck/Washington area to the Wood County Commission for use by local youth sports.

“I am proposing to donate to the commission the surface of this property in Lubeck District, free of liens, for the recreational use of the youth of Wood County, for soccer, ballfields, whatever they need there,” Tebay told the commissioners Monday.

Tebay listed two conditions for the donation.

One condition is the property must be maintained in “good order” and be “reasonably aesthetic to the community and not become a public nuisance,” according to the proposal Tebay submitted to commissioners on Monday.

“In the event the property ceases to be used for youth recreational purposes or in the event it is not maintained in good order and/or becomes adjudicated an eyesore or a public nuisance, it shall revert back” to Tebay or his heirs.

“This is really noble of you to do this; a community becomes great because of its citizens,” commission President Wayne Dunn told Tebay.

Tebay, who is the commissioner-elect having defeated Dunn for the commission seat Dunn holds, said the deal for the donation had been in the discussion stages for several months, but he did not want to make a public announcement prior to the election.

Tebay will be sworn into the commission seat on Jan. 5, the next regularly scheduled county commission meeting.

“I know the commission pledged to replace the sports fields and I’m here today to help you with that,” Tebay told the commissioners.

Tebay referred to the commission’s promise to help with relocation of the former Tri-C youth sports fields, which had to be moved from the Washington Bottom property they occupied after plans for a proposed cracker plant at the SABIC property were announced.

The commissioners earlier allocated $15,000 to the Wood County Recreation Commission to help cover expenses related to the move of the baseball/softball, football and soccer programs that had been at the Tri-C fields.

The volunteer, nonprofit Tri-C football, baseball/softball and soccer groups each had their own association. The Tri-C football program was earlier moved to Blennerhassett Middle School and the baseball/softball program joined with the Godbey programs to form the new South Parkersburg Sports Association, which left the relocation of the soccer fields.

“I think the hope is that everyone will come together to work out any issues for this season while work is being done for next season. Everyone is in it for the right reasons,” Commissioner Blair Couch said. “This donation is sorely needed and appreciated.”

The land being donated is in two parcels off Larkmead Road, according to the map provided to the commission.

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