Herron signals restart on WFD headquarters, end of wastewater plant repairs
The Wheeling City Council held their seventh meeting of the year on Oct. 1, 2024, celebrating community members, local events and adopting several ordinances.
WHEELING – Wheeling city councilors gaveled in for their seventh meeting of their term on Oct. 1, 2024, with Councilor Ben Seidler absent. Several ordinances, including wastewater treatment plant repairs and amendments to city code were adopted, while other ordinances, including several approval of funds to local organizations, were considered.
Herron’s infrastructure intentions…
City Manager Robert Herron announced that the Wheeling Fire Department headquarters would see subcontractors return to the project on Monday, Oct. 7. The multi-million dollar project to rehome the city’s firefighters and emergency medical services from Centre Market to East Wheeling broke ground on Aug. 23, 2022, but stalled in March of this year after the general contractor responsible for its construction filed for bankruptcy.
Herron told city councilors a deal had been made with a surety company to see work begin again. The city manager said the site saw few issues with vandalism over the summer, and said the project was close to 70% complete. A Dec. 31 completion date was expected, but Herron said that may “fluctuate” depending on work conditions.
When asked by Councilor Connie Cain whether the flood repairs to the wastewater treatment plant would be completed soon, Herron said there would be a few more “lagging ordinances,” but that “we’re in the home stretch.” According to the city manager, a Federal Emergency Management Agency deadline of Oct. 16 looms over the project.
The wastewater treatment plant in Center Wheeling saw significant damage after a second flood in the month of April saw debris block a flow gate, leading to nearly thirty feet of flooding within the site's dry pit. Since May, the city has spent more than two million dollars to repair the plant which treats waste from Ohio County and parts of Brooke County, Marshall County and Washington County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Council approved two more ordinances related to damage at the wastewater treatment plant, totaling a further $149,022.
Herron asked his legislative peers to consider a second reading of an ordinance that would see 12th Street in Downtown Wheeling added to the ongoing Streetscape project. Councilors approved the request, quickly adopting the ordinance which will see Savage Construction Co., who submitted a nearly $160,000 bid, complete work rather than the main contractor for the Wheeling Streetscape project, Triton Construction, Inc. of St. Albans, W.Va.
Highway safety in the headlights…
Jack McNeely, Director of the W.Va. Governor’s Highway Safety Program, spoke to councilors addressing their concerns about safety along the city and county’s several major roadways.
McNeely said Region 4 of the safety program, which includes the counties in the northern panhandle, Marshall County, Tyler County and Pleasants County, has received $255,100 in grants for the 2024 fiscal year, which ended for the program on Sept. 30.
During that time, the City of Wheeling saw nearly 76% of funds that support police department overtime to enforce traffic laws. Between the months of October 2023 and September 2024, McNeely says two fatalities occurred in the city. In 2023, the most recent data available, Wheeling saw 47 citations for seat belt infractions, 512 citations for speed enforcement, and 101 citations for distracted driving.
Councilor Dave Palmer said enforcement was the only solution to ensure safe roadways. “We need these kinds of programs to remind people of the law,” Palmer said.
A lifetime serving Wheeling…
Mayor Denny Magruder honored the Reverend Dr. Darrell Cummings with a key to the city, recognizing his three decades of service throughout the city.
Cummings dedicated his life to ministry at the age of 16 and joined the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple in North Wheeling in 1990. Since that time, Cummings has led outreach efforts throughout the community, including at the North Wheeling Youth Center and through toy, clothes and food drives. Annually, his church hosts a Christmas toy and food distribution event seeing hundreds of people take advantage of the opportunity. In March of this year, Cummings was installed as the bishop for the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World for the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
City leaders and members of the public gave Cummings a standing ovation. Before accepting the key to the city, Cummings thanked the city for the honor.
Ordinances passed, ordinances proposed…
Councilors approved the expenditure of $50,000 to Duke's Root Control of Elgin, Ill. for the purchase of “root control” at the Water Pollution Control Division; $20,236 to Colossus, Inc., of Chicago, Ill. for the purchase of an annual subscription to caliber mobile software for the city’s police department; six monthly payments of $27,000 to Centrisys of Kenosha, Wis. for a long-term rental of a wastewater treatment plant centrifuge; $24,647 to Air Science of Fort Myers, Fla. for the purchase of a SafeFume Chamber and evidence equipment for the city’s police department; and, an amendment to the city’s Centre Market Commission expanding the oversight board from seven members to ten.
Councilor Ty Thorngate asked the city manager if there was a benefit to long-term rental of a centrifuge versus outright acquiring one. Herron responded, saying the plan was to replace the centrifuge, which spins waste to separate the solids from the liquids. A bid to clean out the wastewater treatment plant’s digesters is out to bid which, when concluded, will reduce the use of the centrifuge, Herron said.
At the council’s Oct. 15 meeting, members will consider a slew of ordinances an amendment to the city code related to emergency ambulance services, further repairs to the wastewater treatment plant, and ten ordinances awarding money to several local public service organizations and agencies from the 2024 Community Development Block Grant.
Remarks from the members…
Herron thanked Wheeling Police Department Chief Shawn Schwertfeger for bringing the West Virginia Chiefs of Police annual conference to Wheeling’s Oglebay Park. Schwetfeger serves as the association's president and the City of Wheeling is a sponsor of the event.
Councilor Tony Assaro congratulated Wheeling Heritage on a successful Show of Hands event at the end of September.
Cain echoed Assaro’s comments, congratulating Flying Spoon, a business in her ward, for taking home the grand prize of nearly $6,000 at the event.
Vice Mayor Sklavounakis encouraged people to be safe during the weekend’s Oglebayfest and Ohio County Country Fair, to be held from Friday, Oct. 4 through Sunday, Oct. 6.
Thorngate asked the city manager to speak of the city’s preparedness for leaf cleanup. Herron said the city’s new “sucking device” had arrived, spawning giggles in the chambers. The machine will see operations department workers walking down the curb to vacuum leaves. Residents are asked to keep leaves out of the road, but are encouraged to rake them into the curb for easy removal. Alternatively, this reporter recommends you leave them in your yard so they may feed your grass and provide refuge for vital insect populations.
Those wishing to be heard…
Harry Danfert of Benwood, W.Va. spoke of several upcoming events featuring Bob Holmes. Holmes is a “one-man, world record-setting volleyball player” according to his website, beatbob.com. Holmes will travel to area schools educating students about depression, bullying and cyber safety, as well as encouraging positive life choices.
On Oct. 10, Holmes will face off against the city’s police and fire departments in two separate matches. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. where individuals can meet and mingle with the Wheeling Nailers hockey team. The games will start at 7:00 p.m.
Carlee Dittmar of Fulton thanked Assistant City Manager Bill Lanham for helping her on issues that were not made clear. Dittmar says she did not know how Palmer was able to secure funding for six pickleball courts, saying he should teach her councilor, Seidler, how to leverage the city to improve Fulton’s playground. Palmer interjected, saying funding covered eight pickleball courts.
Dittmar went on to complain about what she says are drug and homelessness issues in Fulton, exclaiming that she didn’t know who decided to “put them in Fulton.” Herron interjected saying, with a smile, that it was his decision. Dittmar said she was “drained” by the action.
The city council will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 5:30 p.m. Residents wishing to speak should plan to sign up before 5:15 p.m.
A full agenda will be made available on the city’s website by Friday, Oct. 11.