The main item of business for the Annual Meeting of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, held on October 20, 2019, was the election of Board members.  Three of the previous Board members George Hack, Rick Webb, and Hugh Roger were re-elected to two year terms.

       We did, however, elect a brand new Board member: Ellie Bell.  She lives at Mace, near the site of the meeting.  She is currently working on a Masters degree in environmental education at West Virginia University.  She is currently most concerned about the proposed National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) facility that it could use for studies and research on mine explosions, mine seals, mine rescue, ventilation, diesel exhaust, new health and safety technologies, ground control, and fire suppression. NIOSH would like to build it on 461 acres in Randolph and Pocahontas Counties near Mace.