The Charles Town Utility Board (CTUB) held a special meeting on Tuesday, November 25 and voted to apply for a state grant that could fund the design and construction of a new water and sanitary sewer system in Summit Point. This vote reversed a decision CTUB made two weeks ago to pass on the grant opportunity.
The proposed project would serve the Summit Point Motorsports Park and Training Facility (Summit Point MP/TF) as well as provide fire hydrants accessible to the surrounding community.
The grant is being offered by the West Virginia Water Development Authority from its Economic Enhancement Grant Fund (EEGF). According to information provided by the Eastern Panhandle Regional Planning and Development Council (Region 9), this particular grant does not require any local matching funds, but it does require an “economic impact study” to be completed. That study is being funded by Summit Point MP/TF and is expected to be completed by the end of December. The Region 9 spokesperson said the Water Development Authority had approximately $70 million available to disburse from the EEGF as of July 2025. Applications for EEGF grants are accepted on a rolling basis and the Water Development Authority expects to receive several other applications this year.
Governor Patrick Morrisey reviews EEGF grant applications and makes recommendations on the projects he endorses to the Water Development Authority, according to the Region 9 spokesperson. The Governor emphasized the importance of keeping his office informed of major development proposals and projects during a visit to the Eastern Panhandle on October 17 to discuss economic development.
Once the Water Development Authority makes a decision on funding, CTUB will need to review the grant conditions before it takes the next steps to accept the grant and proceed with the design phase of the project.
Explaining The Vote
At its November 12 meeting, the utility board members who voted against pursuing the grant raised concerns about the obligations it would impose on CTUB. At this week’s meeting, the board received clearer assurances that it would have additional opportunities to evaluate the project before making a final commitment to accept any funding. All of the utility board members emphasized that the project will need to be financially self-supporting so that current utility customers are not asked to share the costs of construction, operation, or future maintenance of the proposed facility.
By Steve Pearson