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Putnam County resident urges help after Fisher Ridge HUD denial; county staff say federal/state funding needed
Summary
A Putnam County resident told commissioners that Fisher Ridge residents lack running water after an income survey found they do not qualify for HUD funding; county staff said state and federal funds or programs would be required and that opportunities are limited at present.
Jim Crutzen, a Putnam County resident, told the commission during public comment that residents on Fisher Ridge have been without a county water connection for decades and that an income survey showed the area does not qualify for the HUD grant the county had pursued.
"We don't have any chance of getting our water run on Fisher Ridge, from what I understand," Crutzen said. He told commissioners many residents rely on cistern water and that he has repeatedly tried to contact state and federal offices for help.
County staff responded in the meeting that the HUD income survey returned a finding that disqualified Fisher Ridge from that HUD grant program and that, as a result, completing a water project would require a combination of state and federal funding the county could not supply on its own. Staff said they had reached out to U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito's office and that opportunities for federal appropriations are currently limited. Staff further explained that when federal dollars are involved, projects must meet specific federal eligibility rules.
Crutzen said he would continue seeking contacts in state and federal offices and expressed frustration that household income levels on Fisher Ridge appeared to disqualify residents from aid. County staff said they would notify him if new opportunities arise.
Why it matters: The lack of a public water connection affects residents' daily needs and can raise public‑health concerns. The exchange shows a disagreement between community expectations and federal grant eligibility rules and documents the county's current limit in responding without external funding.
