Last month, Mountain State Spotlight went to Putnam County to find out what issues people in that community are facing.
The 21st House of Delegates District includes Hurricane and communities south of I-64 towards Lincoln County.
Republican incumbent Jarred Cannon will be facing off against Democratic challenger Michael Mosteller II. Cannon was appointed to fill an unexpired term in 2022, then went on to win his seat in that year’s general election.
Below is candidate Mosteller’s response to the questions. Del. Cannon was contacted repeatedly via telephone and email and did not respond to the questions.
MSS: In speaking with residents around the county, traffic congestion got brought up a lot. If elected to the state Legislature, what will you do to help alleviate some of the ongoing issues with traffic, particularly in the Hurricane/Teays Valley area?
Mosteller: The traffic is the only drawback to living in the Teays Valley area that I’ve experienced. I have seen where other states and cities across the country have consulted with traffic engineers and have started using different types of road designs successfully. There are things like the diverging diamond interchange for busy interstate intersections, roundabouts, etc., that alleviate traffic congestion and accidents, and eliminating what is called the “stroad” which is a road with one or two lanes in each direction with a turn lane in between. There are some really good alternatives out there, and I would bring in some of the best minds to figure it out, and then bring in the funding to implement it.
Context: Roundabouts are all the rage in traffic construction circles – in the Eastern Panhandle; the state put in multiple roundabouts in the towns of Martinsburg and Inwood. More roundabouts are on the way there. Roundabouts are also slated for Morgantown and areas west of Charleston.
Cannon: No response.
MSS: When I was out there in August, there was a big uproar surrounding the proposed transmission line running through the Meeks Mountain Trails. If elected to the legislature, how would you address the need for utilities to make improvements and updates to their systems with the input on recreational needs and land use from the wider community?
Mosteller: The proposed AEP expansion of transmission lines over the Meeks Trail system would affect me directly. I am a coach on the Putnam County Pedalers mountain bike team that practices there and competes across the state in the West Virginia Interscholastic Cycling League, a grade 6-12 mountain bike league. That trail system has personally affected me in a positive way and changed my life for the better. It has got many children off the couch and onto bikes as well as other adults and has affected them in a positive way. The trail has also boosted our local economy. There are several businesses that exist almost solely because of that trail system. I will work with the Meeks Mountain Trail Alliance build team, the Public Service Commission and AEP to find an alternative route that doesn’t cross the Meeks Trail system. While I agree that utility companies do need to keep infrastructure up to par, I will hold them accountable and make sure that the concerns of the citizens and local businesses come first and foremost.
Cannon: No response.
MSS: Some residents in Putnam County say they don’t feel like they’re being heard or seen by their elected officials. For instance, one expressed concerns about policies and rhetoric surrounding transgender and gay people in the county. How do you propose to make LGBTQ+ members of your district believe you stand for their rights?
Mosteller: I share the sentiment of not being heard or seen by our elected officials. They are ruling from the top down rather than representing the voices of the people in their own community. I want to represent rather than rule and return the power of the Legislature back to the community. LGBTQ+ rights are human rights, I am an ally of this community. I will represent all people of West Virginia, regardless of their race, color, creed or sexuality. I will ensure their rights are protected from a lot of these scary authoritarian policies. I’ve seen it implemented in other states, and it’s disgusting to see the power of the state being used to pick on and harass this community, especially the ones who implement laws that negatively impact children from that community in their own schools. These laws make them a pariah while they’re already living a tough life.
Context: During the 2024 legislative session, lawmakers from Putnam County sponsored two high profile bills that advocates said were discriminatory to the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, the county commission passed an ordinance in 2023 to prohibit drag performances when minors are present.
Cannon: No response.
MSS: Another resident expressed concern about partisan politics. If elected, how would work across the aisle?
Mosteller: There’s nothing I hate more than partisan politics. When AEP announced their plans to destroy the Meeks Trail system, I reached out to my opponent, Jared Cannon, and we both agreed that there should be a complete reroute of the transmission lines. As far as being bipartisan, I really don’t just blindly follow any party. I take my marching orders from my constituents. I have many Republican friends, and I have even made friends in the current Legislature that are Republican. I think it’s very important to work together across the aisle so that all West Virginians are represented. I love spending time out in the community talking with people and finding out what their needs are. I’m easily available and will always level with people. I can’t stand politicians who rarely respond to people who reach out to them, and I can’t stand canned statements from politicians that answer the question they want to answer, not the question they were asked. I may not have all the answers to our problems, but I can surround myself with people who do.
Cannon: No response.
MSS: Is there anything else you’d like to add that we didn’t touch on here today?
Mosteller: The only thing that I didn’t see touched upon today is the opioid crisis. There’s the humanitarian aspect of it, and then there is the aspect of economics and security. Big corporations and doctors came into the state and got a lot of people hooked on a lot of drugs. I feel like those corporations got off with a slap on the wrist. Everyone knows someone or is someone suffering from addiction. Our state owes it to these people to provide the rehabilitation services needed to get a chance to get cleaned up. Availability of rehab and the cost of halfway houses are a huge barrier to many people who want to get clean but have a hard time doing so. The economic benefits of rehabilitating addicts is much greater than the cost of throwing them in jail for the medical condition of being addicted. There are people who get their Amazon packages stolen from their doorstep by addicts looking to make a quick dollar. We can get many of those addicts off the street and into a productive role in society, we just need to break the stigma and treat it like the medical condition it is, which is an epidemic in the state.
