Retired mine superintendent begins tenure on PSD board

Geoff Hamill
Staff Writer

Amon Tracey loves to entertain visitors at his home near Slaty Fork.

Since his retirement in 1998, he has mastered several avocations, including hunting, taxidermy and woodworking. He has a lot of stuff to show off.

One large room contains an impressive display of trophy game animals, bagged and stuffed by Tracey and his wife, Linda.

Walking through his home, the former mine worker proudly points out products from his backyard woodworking shop. He recently completed a large secretary desk that would look at home in any senator’s office.

While thoroughly enjoying his retirement, Tracey decided to get more involved with community matters. As debate raged over a regional sewage plant, he regularly attended Public Service District (PSD) meetings and never hesitated to voice his opinions.

The county commission appointed Tracey to the PSD board last month after Bill Rexrode’s departure. He joins Scott Millican and Mark Smith on the three-man board.

Tracey said he sought an appointment in order to help the community.

“I want to help the people,” he said. “Those who want sewage and water, I would like to do all in my power to get it to them. Those that do not, I do not think that they should be forced to hook onto an expensive system.”

Tracey said he is still undecided on the best location for a Snowshoe area treatment plant. After public opposition to Site Five, near the headwaters of the Elk River, the PSD selected Site Seven, on Snowshoe Drive, as the preferred location in July, 2008.

“There has to be a sewage system for Snowshoe,” he said. There’s no question about that. I have mixed emotions. There has to be one built – we all know that. Which location is the best, I’m not quite sure at this time.”

Tracey said one of his major concerns with Site Seven, and to a lesser extent, Site Ten, was the transfer of water from the Shavers Fork watershed to the Elk watershed.

“The water comes out of Shavers Fork for Site Nine and for part of Site Ten and returns back into Shavers Fork, whereas, Site Seven and part of 10 would discharge into Cupp Run, therefore into Big Spring Fork and right on into the Elk River,” he said.

The new board member said either Site Seven, Nine or Ten was probably the best compromise solution.

“Site Seven sounds fairly good. I wouldn’t totally say it’s the answer to all the problems but it sounds pretty good. Nine sounds pretty good and possibly 10. It just needs to be studied.”

The Site 10 alternative includes separate plants at Silver Creek and Snowshoe Drive, whereas the Site Nine option would place a single plant at Silver Creek.

Tracey brings decades of practical management experience to the PSD.

He was born near Slaty Fork in 1935. He became a coal miner at nearby Sharp’s Knob in 1957, which started a long career in the mining industry.

In 1961, Tracey took a job as master mechanic with Maust Coal and Coke in Summersville.

The company recognized his management potential and promoted him to mine superintendent in 1968, which required a transfer to Grant County.

Tracey moved to Kentucky in 1980 to take a job as general manager with Leeco Coal Company, where he worked until his retirement in 1998.

One of Tracey’s first goals is to determine what people in the county want as far as water and sewer service. He plans to solicit feedback by distributing a form, which county residents can return directly to him.

“I’d like for people to fill that form out,” he said. “Then, I’ll have information – not hearsay – but good information and I’ll want it to be signed.

I want to see what the majority of the people want. Then, I will certainly work hard to represent them and, of course, everyone else.”