KANAWHA FALLS, WV (WOAY) – Jonathan Grose, the chairman of the Kanawha Falls Public Service District, has resigned after nine years on the board.
The other two members of the board were notified of his resignation during a board meeting Thursday night. West Virginia Public Service Commission staff alleged last week that he no longer resided in the district.
“[F]rom the Public Service Commission to the County Commission, Kanawha Falls PSD continues to face obstacles that make it increasingly difficult to operate independently and effectively,” Grose said in a letter shared with Newswatch. “It has become exhausting to fight battles at every level for the company’s continued existence. Kanawha Falls PSD is the jewel in the crown of West Virginia American Water, and they know it. I only wish our elected officials saw the same value and felt the same responsibility to protect it.”
For over a year, the PSD has been in a battle for its existence. Last August, the Fayette County Commission approved a purchase agreement with West Virginia American Water for four county PSD systems including Kanawha Falls sewer and water. The structure of the sale doesn’t require the districts’ approval, as the county commission will dissolve the districts upon the Public Service Commission’s approval of the sale.
In his resignation letter, Grose claimed the county commission “has also continued to overreach its authority by attempting to sell property it does not control.”
According to Grose, on his first day as chairman of the PSD nine years ago, West Virginia American Water contacted him about taking ownership of the district, and since then the Public Service Commission has made operations nearly impossible while controlling access to funding needed for upgrades.
In turn, Public Service Commission staff claimed that Kanawha Falls’s water and sewer services are “inadequate, inefficient, and unreasonable” in a petition requesting an investigation. The Public Service Commission granted that petition and ordered an investigation. It also told staff to petition a Fayette County Circuit Court Judge to appoint West Virginia American Water as a receiver to run the system.
All of this is unfolding as a sale of Kanawha Falls and two other Fayette County Public Service Districts is making its way through the regulatory process. During Grose’s time on the board, Kanawha Falls has consistently voted to not approve the sale.
In March of 2025, when public meetings were held regarding a potential sale, WOAY was told the sale could be any combination of the four PSD systems.
“It could be they only get the water, it could be they get everything. It just depends on what we feel is the best choice,” Fayette County Commission President John Brenemen said in an interview at a public meeting on March 7, 2025.
However, as the negotiations with West Virginia American Water continued and were taking longer than expected, WOAY was told it was all or nothing.
“I specifically asked if it were an option for West Virginia American Water to purchase Kanawha Falls water service and also Page Kincaid’s wastewater service and allow Kanawha Falls to retain its wastewater and run the wastewater service for Armstrong Creek. And the answer was no. It was an all or nothing deal,” Commissioner Allison Taylor said at a Fayette County Commission meeting on May 14, 2025.
Grose’s resignation letter claims there is a potential conflict of interest regarding another member of the board voting on the sale of the district.
“Based on an ethics inquiry with the Municipal League, it was their opinion that any board member who is related to or married to an employee would not be able to vote on the sale of the company,” Grose said.
Newswatch sent a copy of the resignation letter to the Fayette County Commission. We will update you if we hear back.
Grose did not specifically address PSC staff allegations that he no longer resided in the district. You can read his full letter here:
Micah Leith contributed to reporting on this story.
