As much as I like to complain about laws and policies

A King for the People by Alex King

, there are other matters our public servants at the State level can and should address in between legislative sessions. When it comes to the wellbeing of the residents of Tyler and Wetzel counties, as well as those simply passing through this wonderful neck of the woods, those representatives should address the dangerous hillside slip that sends large rocks onto WV State Route 2 between Sistersville and Paden City. Regardless of any excuses made, there is no justification for the State allowing debris to so frequently disrupt a route it is responsible for maintaining. And although large rocks (or small boulders as some would see them) usually only slide into the road following hard rains, these instances happen often enough that people have almost lost their lives. This is in no way a judgment on those who work for the State and have to respond to the hillside slip for cleanup duty. I feel bad that they have such a mess to deal with in the first place, and I believe that addressing the issue will ultimately make their jobs safer and less hectic. It will also result in less risk to our first responders, who are often called out at random hours to navigate traffic around debris in the road. According to the information I've gathered, the State owns at least fifteen feet of the hillside as measured from the edge of the road. You would think that fifteen feet is enough room to adopt some form of preventative measure. Even if the price tag for such a project is expensive, our State government should be willing to spend millions to fix the slip if it means saving lives. If you've been paying attention the last few decades-or even the last few months-then you should understand the amount of our money the government is willing to fritter away. Is it so much to ask that our tax dollars go toward what they're intended to fund, such as projects to improve infrastructure? There is a large fence to stop falling rocks along a section of highway between New Martinsville and Moundsville, and from what I hear it only went up after a life was lost to debris falling into the road. Let's not wait until a tragedy happens. My calls to the State have been somewhat educational. Apparently, if enough people visit dotforms.wv.gov/cra and fill out a report, then the State will consider doing something about it. Despite the calls I've made and the questions I've asked, I'm still more ignorant about this matter than I'd like to be, and I am fine admitting that. The goal of this column isn't to frame myself as if I have the answers. I simply want to start a conversation. If you would like to correct any of my points or add to them, I am happy to convey the knowledge you share. While you can speak to me directly, I may also consider publishing your points in print if I think they'll bring clarity to a topic. Don't hesitate to email me at alkwriter@outlook.com. As always, be safe, and pay attention to your surroundings when traveling.