Armstrong

By Taylor McKinnie

Staff Writer

ELKINS — The Augusta Heritage Center’s Chief Operations Officer has been appointed to the Elkins Planning Commission.

Eric Armstrong was appointed to the role of planning commissioner on Sept. 19 by Elkins City Council after the seat was vacated by Vance Jackson, who resigned. Jackson’s term was originally set to end on Dec. 31.

Armstrong was nominated by Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco, who is also on the commission.

“I’ll just say that Eric is a great fit for the Planning Commission,” Fourth Ward Council member Andrew Carroll, who is also a member of the Planning Commission, said during the Sept. 19 meeting. “He has a wealth of knowledge. I’ve met a lot of people in Elkins, I think, who have this wealth of knowledge and Eric is high on this list as somebody who knows every little detail about everything and has a great holistic vision. So I think the vision that Eric has will be a great addition.”

According to the council resolution for his appointment, Armstrong has met all the qualifications necessary to be on the Planning Commission, including having “resided inside Elkins for at least three years.”

During the meeting, Elkins City Clerk Sutton Stokes said Armstrong was “very interested” in the position. Council member Nanci Bross-Fregonara, who also represents Fourth Ward, said Armstrong was “excited about being on the Planning Commission.”

All council members present approved Armstrong’s appointment. Council members Lisa Severino and Robert Chenoweth, as well as Marco, were absent from the meeting.

Armstrong’s term will end on Dec. 31, 2027.

The Planning Commission meets on the second Thursday of each month at 3:30 p.m.

The Augusta Heritage Center moved into the historic Wilt Building in downtown Elkins in February after acquiring the four-floor building in November 2023, giving the center more hands-on access to downtown Elkins.

“This is absolutely incredible for us,” Augusta Heritage Center Executive Director Seth Young told The Inter-Mountain in February. “The building is going to become a vibrant center for cultural exchange and community engagement.

“That impact will continue beyond culture education, because the Wilt Building, with its third- and fourth-floor apartments, will also serve as a beacon to attract active community minded individuals to live right in the heart of the downtown we serve.”