The Charles Town Utility Board (CTUB) voted unanimously at its September 23, 2026 meeting to withdraw the recently issued stormwater construction permit for the Sidewinder raw water line in Middleway. Charles Town Mayor Micheal George, who serves as the chair of CTUB, also said he would direct the staff to initiate an investigation into how the permit was prepared and issued.
Approximately 100 residents attended the September 23 meeting, which was held at the Jefferson County Government Center in anticipation of the large attendance. Mayor George read a statement at the beginning of the meeting, recognizing the concerns that had been raised by the community and emphasizing that “reviewing the permit does not, by itself, determine the future of the Sidewinder project. The Board must consider its regulatory responsibilities, existing contractual obligations, and the engineering and financial implications of the proposed infrastructure.” (view the complete statement here)
22 individuals spoke during public comment (image above) at the beginning of the meeting to encourage CTUB to review the permit and investigate the irregularities in how it was issued.
Following an executive session which lasted approximately 90 minutes, board member John Maxey made a motion to authorize the CTUB staff to file a new stormwater construction permit application with the WV Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP), with two specific conditions:
- Request that the WV DEP set the maximum length for public comment and also schedule a public hearing on the new application
- Request that the WV DEP take no action to approve the new permit until the litigation pending before the WV Supreme Court of Appeals is resolved
The motion also included a directive to withdraw the existing permit application request immediately after the WV DEP accepts the new application.
The motion passed unanimously. According to Maxey, the intent of the board is that CTUB should continue to fulfill its obligations under the agreement it has with Sidewinder to take ownership and operate the water line if and when it is constructed, but that no activity or further approvals should take place on this project until the outstanding legal issues are resolved.
A Multi-Step Investigation
Mayor George also directed staff to conduct an internal investigation into the alleged irregularities surrounding the drafting and approval of the recently issued permit.
The results of that investigation will be reviewed by CTUB’s attorneys who will prepare a recommendation to the board for next steps, which may include hiring a third party to conduct an independent investigation. George said that he hoped to be able to share the findings of the internal investigation within the next few weeks.
Published 2026 Sep 24 in the Observer Weekly.
By Steve Pearson