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Metheny
ELKINS -- After serving the City of Elkins in one capacity or another for the past 43 years, it's safe to say that Carman Metheny has dedicated his life to the town he loves.
Metheny, who was unseated from his Third Ward Elkins City Council position in last week's city election, spent the past 16 years on city council. Before that he worked for the City of Elkins for 28 years.
"I really enjoyed all of my years on the City Council," said Metheny. "All together I've had 43 years with the City of Elkins as an employee and a councilman. I met a lot of nice and dedicated people during that time."
Metheny said he probably didn't do enough to get reelected for another term during the past election.
"I didn't really campaign the way I usually do," he noted. "I took the second COVID shot on the ninth of February and the following two weeks after that I really felt like I didn't have any energy. So I didn't get out and do what I really needed to do. And that's not an excuse but a fact. It was my fault I didn't get out and campaign."
During his years with the city, in which he said he worked at just about every job the city had at one time or another, the changes have been monumental.
"Back in the mid-70s, the city couldn't make payroll sometimes," he said. "And it had an awful time of surviving. There were a lot of businesses that wouldn't charge to the city because they knew it would take six to eight months to get their money. And that has changed so much, it's astounding how more organized and efficient everything is now."
Metheny said he feels one of the biggest triumphs for the city came in recent years ago when Elkins added a sales tax.
"The windfall for the city was when we put the 1% sales tax on," he said. "We really didn't think it would generate what it generated. It has really helped the city in a lot of directions in getting some things done that would have probably never got done. It allowed the city to have some finances to do some things it couldn't do before."
Metheny, who retired from the city as assistant street supervisor in the early 2000s, is proud of what he and the rest of council accomplished
"The last 16 years the council has worked together so well," he said. "There weren't many disagreements and it seemed like everybody said yes when we needed something done. The city has moved forward a lot during that time and I really enjoyed it. But now maybe I can sit back and not worry about the city so much for a while."
One thing Metheny said the city will need to address in the next five to 10 years is replacing the Davis Avenue Bridge, located just down the street from Gino's restaurant. The bridge was built in the 1940s and has seen numerous repairs over the years, he said.
"That's going to be a major expense, into the millions," Metheny said. "It's a big expense the city has to stash some cash away for in the next few years. It's a concrete bridge and concrete only has a life expectancy of 40 years before it starts deteriorating. It's just one of those issues that they have to set some money aside for."
Metheny said he isn't sure if politics will ever be in his future again, but for now he's going to spend most of his free time doing what he loves the most -- gardening.
"I have a couple of gardens that I love working in," he said. "But I will always be there for anybody from the council that wants me to help them with anything they need."
Metheny's father, Clair Metheny, was also dedicated to the City of Elkins, spending a total of 20 years on city council.