Crime may not pay, but itﾒs going toﾠ cost more if youﾒre caught.

Marlinton Town Council voted last Tuesday night to raise court fees from $65 to $90. Violating a town ordinance costs the offender $30, but a state offense, such as speeding, will be $90.

The townﾒs police chief, Lee Tinney, said Marlinton was ﾓconsiderably lower than most places.ﾔ Tinney said the current fees charged to offenders barely covered the townﾒs own costs, including housing in Tygarts Valley Regional Jail.

According to the townﾒs engineer, Dwayne Hannah, Marlintonﾒs sewage treatment plant improvements may cost as little as $600,000. Hannah said he has submitted plans to the Department of Environmental Protection and will submit them to Region IV Planning and Development Council, as well as Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council.

Hannah also noted that the current rate structure could handle the expansion.

ﾓThis is good news,ﾔ he said.

The plantﾒs future capacity will be 200,000 gallons a day. The addition of Pocahontas Memorial Hospital and Marlinton Middle School, which has been discussed, would add only 4,000 gallons a day, Hannah said.

Hannahﾒs original estimate was between $900,000 and $2 million.

Edray Industrial Parkﾒs future effect on the plant is an unknown, according to Mayor Dottie Kellison.

The Campbelltown/Edray expansion maxed out the plantﾒs current capacity, Hannah said.

The Brush Country Water Project may be ready to bid by March, Kellison said.

Kellison said the townﾒs elevator is fixed and usable, at a labor cost of $4,688. The mayor said she protested the amount of the bill, but was not able to have it reduced.

Marlintonﾒs council meets again in regular session January 2.