Citizens express frustrations at Wheeling City Council meeting
Two residents say their years-long complaints regarding infrastructure have fallen on deaf ears. Councilors also heard and approved several ordinances at their Feb. 18 meeting.
WHEELING – The City Council of Wheeling and the group’s Finance Committee held meetings Tuesday, Feb. 18 where two residents begged leaders to take action on crumbling infrastructure.
Ted Dodd, a Springdale resident, spoke of a landslide that occurred over 40 years ago at his family’s historic Howard Mansion property and has limited their street to one lane. Dodd said his family sent letters to city government, communicated with the council representative, Councilor Ty Thorngate, and spoke at city council as recently as April 2023. Still, he said no remediation has occurred.
During that April 2023 meeting, Dodd said photos shared with members of city council showed exposed gas lines in the landslide that he feared would one day rupture. “Two weeks ago that happened,” said Dodd. “I got a call early Saturday morning that one of my tenants not only heard, but smelled, the sound of gas. It’s not the phone call you want to get as a landlord.”
“40 years we’ve waited for this repair. 40 years of economic impact to my family’s residential historic property,” said Dodd. “As a native son, help me.”
Julia Sheets, a North Wheeling resident, rose and spoke of a deteriorating set of public stairs she and other residents rely on to transit their homes on a steep hillside. “This has been an ongoing problem since before my mother passed away 14 years ago,” said Sheets. She said her former councilor representative informed her family that there were no funds in the budget for repairs, but would submit a request to the full council.
“[The] city manager was contacted over ten years ago, past vice mayor was contacted, my council person was contacted…with no improvements except for a patch job here and there.”
On Thursday of last week, Sheets said a stair shifted out from under her while she was taking her garbage out, causing her to fall on her “bad leg” causing it to “break open.” Sheets said she contacted the Operations Department on Friday, who responded by repositioning the stone. “Hopefully…the city will now find a way to replace the steps before anyone else, or I, fall again,” said Sheets.
Finance Committee approves ARPA restructure
During a Finance Committee meeting, City Manager Robert Herron provided an update on the use of American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds to demolish blighted buildings throughout the city. “A million dollars of APRA funds were allocated for demolition throughout the city. We have come to the end of the use of those funds and 82 structures have been demolished,” said Herron. Adding WV Department of Environmental Protection Dilapidated Properties Program, or DLAP, funds, that number reaches 120. All of the city’s allocated ARPA funds for demolition have been spent.
Still, the city’s Building and Planning Department has indicated a further 25 structures in the city need to be demolished. Herron, citing $750,000 from an under-budget sewer project in the Pleasanton and Valley View neighborhoods, suggested $300,000 to be reallocated to the demolition budget, allowing for an average of $12,000 per 25 structures.
Herron said, if completed, the city would finish its list of structures needing to be demolished in the city with a goal of managing current properties and slowing the rate of dilapidation, potentially saving future homes from the same fate.
After buildings are demolished, many become incorporated as city lands. Asked what the city planned to do with these now-vacant lots, Herron suggested a land bank could be established. If approved, a land bank could serve to revitalize abandoned lots for the good of the community, providing for affordable housing, parks or other uses deemed necessary in a neighborhood.
Ordinances Passed; Ordinances Proposed
A slew of old and new ordinances and resolutions were approved by the council, including:
$27,000 to In-Synch Systems of Zelienople, Penn. for a police department “Records Management System”;
$91,226.60 to breathing Air Systems of Reynoldsburg, Ohio for Air Systems to be installed at the new fire department headquarters;
$28,414 to Witmer, Inc. of Coatesville, Penn. for fire gear for WFD Station 2;
$104,693 to Jim Shorkey Auto Group of Irwin, Penn. for five police vehicles charged to the police department’s West Virginia First Foundation Dec. grant;
$13,800 for a facade grant to Justus, Inc. for 1165 Market St;
$10,500 for a facade grant to Roger Edwards for 642 Main St;
$11,428 for a facade grant to Corner 30, LLC. for 58 19th St; and,
The approval of a $25,719.44 invoice for environmental remediation and cleanup of 58 18th St.
At their next meeting, councilors will vote on several ordinances, including a lane abandonment, amending the city’s parking code and approval of expenses for the police department’s West Virginia First Foundation grant, among others.
He can talk! He can talk! He can talk!
Remarks from members of council are a regular agenda item, affording elected officials the chance to update their constituents on the goings-on of their wards. Unfortunately, many members choose not to use this time. Former councilor Rosemary Ketchum told this reporter years ago that, upon being elected to her seat in 2020, then-mayor Glenn Elliott told her to always use this time. It’s unclear if that message has continued to the new council.
Three members of council chose to utilize their speaking time. They were:
Councilor Tony Assaro, Ward 1, informed community members that a Grow Warwood Pride meeting would take place Wednesday, Feb. 19 at the Warwood United Methodist Church at 7:00 p.m. The group strives to build pride in the community through education, advocacy, volunteerism, fundraising, safety and community involvement. Assaro said Ward 1 Crime Watch meetings would resume March 13 at the Warwood Christian Church at 7:00 p.m.
Councilor Ben Seidler, Ward 2, said neighborhood spring cleanups were being planned for his ward. Seidler asked the city to look into replacing burned out street lights on Wheeling Island and in North Wheeling, suggesting it may be time to upgrade to LED lights. Seidler said he planned to approach the council with a request for opioid settlement funds on behalf of Northwood Health Systems. Finishing his statements, Seidler thanked the city’s Sanitation Department workers who, despite freezing temperatures and icy conditions, manage to collect waste in a timely manner.
Councilor Connie Cain, Ward 3, said an East Wheeling community meeting would take place Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Macedonia Baptist Church at 12:00 p.m. to discuss the future of the neighborhood.
The city council will meet again Tuesday, March 4 at 5:30 p.m.