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City earns awards at municipal conference

WEIRTON A WINNER — Weirton city administrators and department heads are pictured with the two awards recently presented to Weirton during the West Virginia Municipal League Conference. Pictured are, in front from left, Library Director Rik Rekowski, Planning and Development Director Mark A. Miller, Utilities Director Butch Mastrantoni, Police Chief Rob Alexander, City Clerk Kathy Mrvos, Finance Director Diana Smoljanovich, Transit Manager Donna Gialluco, Mayor Harold Miller and City Manager Travis Blosser, and in back, Code Official Matt Burskey, Public Works Director Rod Rosnick and Fire Chief Jerry Shumate. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — Change has been in the air in Weirton in recent years, and others throughout West Virginia have started to take notice.

During the 48th-annual West Virginia Municipal League Conference, held Aug. 2-4 in Morgantown, the City of Weirton received two awards, in recognition of business growth and economic development opportunities in the city, as well as efforts by the municipal government to modernize its services.

Among the awards received is the Vision for Tomorrow Award, honoring efforts to grow the economy in the city, which has included more than $25 million in private investment and 200 new jobs in the last two years.

That growth has included plans by two international companies — Bidell Gas Compression and Pietro Fiorentini — to locate manufacturing facilities in the city.

City Manager Travis Blosser noted Weirton is only the fourth city to receive the award since its inception, following Lewisburg, Wheeling and Huntington.

RECOGNIZED — Weirton was recognized with two awards during the recent West Virginia Municipal League Conference, receiving the Vision for Tomorrow Award and the Municipal League’s All-Star Community Award in the category of cost reduction and savings. -- Craig Howell

“We are the fourth city to receive the award,” Blosser said. “It’s pretty good company to be in.”

Mayor Harold Miller said he received several compliments during the Municipal League conference, and other state-wide meetings, about the efforts in the city.

“We recognize what we were. We see what we are,” Miller said, adding it is important to have a vision for what Weirton could be.

Weirton also was named the recipient of the Municipal League’s All-Star Community Award in the category of cost reduction and savings, recognizing the city’s work to become more efficient in its services.

Miller cited several efforts since taking office, including providing direct deposit for city employees, creating a safety and security committee to be active city-wide, improving the planning and development department, upgrading utilities, updating equipment, as well as making adjustments to some personnel and their duties.

“It’s some of the things residents don’t see on a daily basis,” Miller said.

Blosser explained the accomplishments in the city wouldn’t be possible without the teamwork of the municipal employees, from administration down through the ranks.

“It’s every single department,” Blosser said. “It’s our 150-plus employees that are the nuts and bolts of making this happen.”

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com, and followed via Twitter @CHowellWDT)

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