01-05-2025
Dunbar Foundation trying to recover from misuse of funds investigation
FAIRMONT — Dunbar Foundation Board Secretary Howard Brooks envisions a bright future for the Dunbar School as a future community resource.
First, however, it needs to settle the mess left behind from an investigation into the alleged misuse of COVID-19 pandemic funds.
'Dunbar is a historical landmark, and it's been in dire need of repairs for quite some time,' Brooks said. 'If you recall, they had the Dunbar STOP Foundation that was still there. With all that going on, we've formed a new board and are trying to get Dunbar School back on track again and used for the heritage we intend on to be used for.'
Brooks spoke during the open comment section of the Marion County Commission meeting on Wednesday. He gave commissioners notice that the Dunbar Foundation was seeking funds to support the preservation of what Brooks called a most precious historical landmark. Commissioners only consider distribution of funds after a request is put on the agenda.
Brooks said the plan is to refurbish the school into a space that hosts community programming, such as workforce training, and into a museum that preserves Fairmont's Black history. However, after being closed for roughly two decades, Brooks said the building is suffering heavy disrepair. Before work to refurbish the interior of the building can begin, the crumbling roof needs to be repaired.
Refurbishing the Dunbar School could cost over $500,000, Brooks said. He estimates the roof may cost $50,000 to repair. However, an investigation into federal COVID-19 funds previously managed by Romelia Hodges, former executive, by the U.S. Department of Justice is bottlenecking funds the foundation can access. The DOJ and West Virginia Department of Health's Office of Inspector General accused the STOP program, which Hodges led, of using grant funds for nepotism, excessive executive salaries and bonuses, ATM withdrawals, luxury vehicle rentals, travel and food, according to court documents.
Last year, a federal judge ordered the organization to hand over documents related to the case.
Brooks said there's still funding left over from when Hodges ran the program. However, while the case remains unresolved, the funds are out of reach for the Dunbar Foundation. With all the cuts to agencies that give federal grant funding for community projects, Brooks said the funding situation is unclear.
However, the Foundation is taking steps to begin moving forward again. Brooks said they revamped the board last summer. The Foundation is also looking at the local community for help, asking for whatever funds the County Commission can provide, as well as considering donations from different organizations and businesses such as Lowe's or Ace Hardware.
All this effort is worth it because Dunbar School is a vital piece of Fairmont's history that ties back to the City's segregation era. Preserving that history is important, he said. The Dunbar Foundation is also planning to partner with the Marion County Historical Society and Museum on the restoration.
'It's a part of the history, especially for the African-American people that are here, and not just for us, but for anybody what wants to know about the history of Marion County,' Brooks said.
County Commission President Ernie VanGilder threw out one idea for how the Foundation could make a little headway on the planned revitlaization. He said when he still owned V&W Electric, they ordered an electrical panel for the Marion County Board of Education but the panel was never utilized. He suggested approaching the new owners of V&W Electric to see if they'd be willing to donate the expensive piece of equipment to the Foundation.
In other business:
County Commissioners also approved $500,000 in funding to the North Central West Virginia Airport's Apron Project. The airport sought funds from Harrison County, Marion County and Bridgeport, with the funding dependent on participation from all three entities.
'It was certainly a group effort,' VanGilder said.
He added the new airport terminal is nearing completion and should open later this year.
Finally, Commissioners tabled a request from Grant Town Emergency Medical Services Inc.. The organization sought funding for new equipment, but Commissioner Bobby DeVaul asked that the item be tabled in order to gather more information about the request. VanGilder said the commission didn't have enough time to review the cost of the item that Grant Town EMS wanted.
The next meeting is scheduled for May 14.
