Councilor Palmer presides over meeting for absent Mayor, Vice Mayor
Council leaves citizens in the dark after approving several expenditures with zero debate or questions to the city manager. Transparency appears secondary to speed and unity.
WHEELING, W.Va. — Mayor Denny Magruder and Vice Mayor Jerry Sklavounakis were absent at Tuesday’s City Council meeting—just the second meeting of the 2024 session. Councilor Dave Palmer, Ward 6 representative and chair of the Finance Committee, led the meeting in a first since his election in 2016.
Typically, a Vice Mayor will fill in for an absent Mayor; but, as far as this reporter can find in the city’s code, no section deals with the event of both being absent. Palmer, speaking about the process of choosing a presiding officer in this situation, said the honor “defers to the finance chairman.” Palmer said he received the call to fill in for the mayor the same day as the meeting.
Palmer, delivering the mayor’s report on Magruder’s behalf, said the new mayor was “under the weather.” Magruder confirmed to Wheeling Free Press via text that he has been “struggling for a few weeks” with a “minor medical issue.” The Mayor would not comment on what that medical issue was, but said he would be “ready to go full steam” soon.
Skalvanoukis, who has represented Ward 4 since 2020 and was recently appointed Vice Mayor, is on a “much needed vacation,” Palmer said. The Ward 4 representative also operates a private practice law firm and works as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ohio County.
“I have no comment at this time.”
Similar to July 2, this council meeting prioritized speed over substance. In all, the five present members voted to approve five resolutions—totaling nearly $210,000—without asking what the money was for. Whether councilors knew what they were voting for or not, the public deserves the opportunity to hear how funds are being spent.
Four of the ordinances were related to damage at the Water Pollution Control Division’s wastewater treatment plant caused during the April floods. A fifth ordinance involved more than $85,000 in improvements to the WesBanco Arena for the purchase of cameras and an air conditioning system.
The only public record of the damage at the WPCD wastewater treatment plant is courtesy of this publication. The only source of information for the public to understand the WesBanco Arena ordinance would be to read the ordinance verbatim—something a majority of citizens likely do not know how to do.
Later, the council voted to rush an ordinance for the purchase of a $47,000 2024 Ford F250 for the Operations Department. Not one member asked why the vehicle’s purchase was necessary for the city to make. And, in new business, budget revisions to the Coal Severance Fund and General Fund were adopted unanimously.
During remarks from council, all but one member spoke—newly elected Councilor Tony Assaro, Ward 1. Assaro said he had “no comment at this time,” a rather innocuous statement, but one that represents a broader issue with the legislative body of the city.
The former council spent many meetings rubber stamping any ordinance put before it; however, sometime during their last year in office councilors began asking City Manager Robert Herron to briefly describe the ordinances being passed. Although Herron sometimes joked about these simple questions, this process allowed citizens an eye into their elected government.
Now, it appears this new council is starting off on a foot of low transparency. As mentioned, no councilor utilized the opportunity to debate an ordinance before approving it. And, during questions for the city manager, no member spoke.
Herron is an unelected executive of the city. He wields broad power to do as he pleases. The only check he has on his power is the city council; and, at least at present, that council is choosing to abdicate its responsibility and greenlight any expenditure he requests. That’s not to say what Herron is asking for is bad, but that the public is deprived of its right to know what its government is doing.
In other council news…
During his city manager’s report, Herron said the Ohio Valley Medical Center’s west tower—the largest building on campus—would be demolished imminently. Herron also spoke of the Center Market parking structure demolition that saw two weeks of overnight work.
The city’s pools will close August 11 due to the early school start times. Garden Park’s public pool will remain open on the weekends through Labor Day.
Herron delivered an end of year financial report, stating that revenues exceeded expenditures by more than $424,000. The general fund saw $357,000 in unencumbered cash. Per West Virginia code, city’s must operate a flat budget meaning any excess funds need to be allocated.
Herron offered to the finance committee a proposal to spend $60,000 on cancer screenings and new hires for the fire department, with the remaining funds going to a “contingency fund” that would, in Herron’s words, reserve council’s right to allocate them in future.
Councilor Ty Thongate, Ward 5, asked if the proposed cancer screenings would reduce future healthcare costs for the fire department. Herron agreed, saying firefighters are sometimes exposed to toxic, cancer causing materials. Finance moved the proposal to the full council.
During council remarks, Thorngate, Councilor Ben Seidler, Ward 2, and Councilor Connie Cain, Ward 3, each mentioned the Grecian Festival to be held in Center Wheeling from July 24 to July 27. Each member made the announcement at the request of Sklavounakis who volunteers his time at the annual festival.
The event celebrates the historic Greek immigrants who moved to Wheeling and supports to mission of St. John the Divine Orthodox Christian Church. Sklavounakis can be seen at the event cooking for attendees.
Seidler thanked city staff and the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra for their July 4 celebration. Cain invited residents to attend the Arts and Cultural Commission’s annual Arts Festival on August 3, 2024, at Wheeling Park.
A lifetime of civil service
Council Dave Palmer celebrated 40 years as a civil servant in Wheeling, West Virginia Tuesday, July 16. He reflected on his career saying it is “great to serve the community.”
On July 16, 1984, Palmer was sworn in as a police officer for the City of Wheeling. He later joined the fire department where he served as president of Wheeling Firefighters Local 12 union.
Palmer retired from the fire department in 2012 and joined they city’s Building and Planning Department as a code enforcer. In 2016, he left that job to run for city council ultimately winning his election and re-election overwhelmingly.
“You know going in [to civil service] that you’re never going to get wealthy,” Palmer said. Despite that, Palmer explained that there is job security in working for a city’s police and fire departments.”You’re going to have a steady paycheck. And the best feeling is serving your community.”
The next City Council meeting will take place on Monday, August 5 at 5:30p. The meeting was moved from August 6 to accommodate councilor’s participation in the 55th annual West Virginia Municipal League conference in Huntington, W.Va. from August 6-9.