Council meets to issue proclamations and pass several ordinances
Wheeling’s city council met Tuesday, April 1 for an atypically hour-long meeting filled with public hearings, proclamations and several ordinances passed and proposed.
WHEELING – Tuesday, April 1 may have been April Fools Day across the nation, but the council’s unusually long agenda–at least for this council–was anything but a joke.
Feline frenzy…
Council chambers filled up fast ahead of a public hearing regarding a controversial proposal by city leaders to ban the intentional feeding of feral cats.
With 12 people signed up to address the council and many dozens more watching on, Councilor Ben Seidler, Ward 2, said he would move to table the ordinance.
“What we were trying to address is a huge litter problem in our neighborhoods,” Seidler said prior to the public hearing. He described the proposal as “short-sighted on my behalf” due to its unintended impact for private property owners.
Undeterred, a majority of speakers chose to deliver their remarks overwhelmingly in opposition.
Speakers pushed back on claims that feeding feral cats increased rodent and vermin populations throughout neighborhoods, asked councilors to consider funding a Trap-Neuter-Release program and cited current laws that could be better enforced to address issues brought up by city leaders.
Ultimately, the ordinance was tabled by councilors.
For a full report on the public hearing, click here.
Proclamation Parade…
Mayor Denny Magruder delivered a record number of proclamations–at least for this reporter–Tuesday. In an effort to streamline the process, Magruder read brief descriptions of each measure.
April was declared Child Abuse Prevention Month, Fair Housing Month, Autism Awareness Month and Glass Heritage Month, a wide-range of topics sponsored by citizens, organizations and the city’s Human Rights Commission.
Magruder recognized the Wheeling Park High School Speech and Debate Team for their March victory at a statewide championship debate tournament–their 45th consecutive victory. Another high school, Central Catholic High School, saw their basketball team recognized for their victory in the AA division of the 2025 WVSSAC Boys Basketball State Tournament.
To wrap up the lengthy list of proclamations, Magruder declared April 14, 2025 Arbor Day and April 6 to April 12 National Crime Victims Rights Week in Wheeling.
Residents, organizations or other groups can request a mayoral proclamation on the city’s website. Visit this link for more information.
PODA and parking updates…
During his report to council, City Manager Robert Herron updated the community on two key projects coming to Wheeling this spring: virtual parking enforcement and PODA.
In recent months, councilors have discussed and passed amendments to the city’s code regarding parking–mainly, the elimination of metered parking in the city’s downtown in favor of time-limited free parking. Herron said cameras and software that will virtually “chalk” cars to enforce time limits have been installed, and parking enforcement officers were being trained.
The city’s Private Outdoor Designated Area, or PODA, will begin operating by Memorial Day, Herron said. A logo has been established and cups have been ordered, Herron told councilors, while a website for the program is in the works.
The program, approved by councilors earlier this year, will see participating businesses permitted to sell alcohol in specific, PODA-specific cups for customers to take outdoors and to other businesses in a designated area. Several West Virginia cities, like Charleston, Huntington and Morgantown, have approved PODA and seen broad support.
Ordinances Passed; Ordinances Proposed…
Councilors adopted 11 ordinances and resolutions Tuesday, including:
$78,000 to May Engineering Company, LLC of St. Clairsville, Ohio for a slip repair on Grandview Street;
$24,500 to Ferguson Waterworks of Fairmont, W.Va. for the purchase of a correlator for water distribution;
$27,000 to Centrisys of Kenosha, Wis. for rental services for a wastewater treatment plant centrifuge damaged during last year’s April floods;
$106,225 to Stonemile Group, LLC of Cannonsburg, Penn. for renovations to the restrooms at the city’s Centre Market;
$64,583 To Sensible Products, Inc. of Richfield, Ohio for equipment to outfit a fire department rescue truck;
A $23,668 lien on Mark Downie for costs associated with the debris removal and “nuisance abatement” from his 20 Zane Street property;
An amendment to Article 363 of the city’s code disallowing moving a vehicle between parking spots within the same parking zone to extend parking time;
Resolutions authorizing a lease agreement with American Pies & Pastries and altering its lease with Wood N’ Stitches at the city’s Centre Market;
A resolution approving a Section 108 loan guarantee application for the Ohio Valley Food and Innovation Hub on the 1400 block of Market Street; and,
A resolution approving the disbursement of the Wheeling Police Department’s West Virginia First Foundation grant for, (1) $10,000 to CIT Summit and Media campaign services, (2) $13,200 to WV Hope in Action and (3) $44,139 to Marshall University for various program trainings.
Community updates from members of council…
Councilor Dave Palmer, Ward 6, offered his gratitude to Volunteer Wheeling for their work cleaning up Mil Acres Drive in the Elm Grove neighborhood. The group brought eight volunteers out last week, clearing 23 bags worth of trash from the area. Palmer encouraged his colleagues to work with the volunteer group in their wards to assist in cleanup efforts.
Councilor Tony Assaro, Ward 1, announced a Crime Watch meeting April 10 at the Warwood Christian Church beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Councilor Ben Seidler, Ward 2, reminded his constituents of several cleanup events coming up, including May 3 for Fulton, May 10 for North Wheeling and May 17 for Wheeling Island.
The Wheeling City Council will meet again on Tuesday, April 15 at 5:30 p.m.