Weirton workshop focuses on completion of Millsop wall
Council recommends levy fund future park projects
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WEIRTON -- Weirton Council may use much of its remaining American Rescue Plan funding to complete a wall repair project at the Millsop Community Center, while recommending the Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation look into the possibility of a levy to support any future capital improvement projects for the city's park facilities.
Council and the Park Board met in a work session Thursday, with much of the discussion focused on Phase III of the community center's south wall restoration.
"We had initially though $200,000 to $600,000 was going to be the range," Parks Director Coty Shingle said, before announcing the board had received a bid of approximately $1.5 million. "We weren't even close."
James McKeegan, of Grae-Con Construction, the lone bidder for the project, explained the project will include some masonry work, as well as repairing some joists in the ceiling above the center's pool area, but also will include the installation of a new HVAC system which is designed to cut down on the moisture in that part of the building.
"The unit is a big cost," McKeegan said, noting the thermostat/humidistat is expected to cost a little over $500,000.
McKeegan also explained the equipment for the unit might not be available for a year.
Shingle explained the Park Board, and other areas of the city have experienced increasing costs for various projects, and warned against waiting much longer to complete the wall project, reminding council the first phase of the project initially was set to cost $173,000 when it was discussed in 2018 but had jumped to $355,000 when it moved forward in 2021.
"Kicking the can down the road didn't work," Shingle said. "It killed us."
Council previously allotted $1.5 million from its ARPA funds to assist the Park Board with various capital projects, including the center wall project, improvements to Marland Heights Park and proposed upgrades to Starvaggi Memorial Pool. According to Finance Director Diana Smoljanovich, of those funds, $1,161,781.81 remain.
She also estimated $1.6 million remains unprogrammed from the city's full $10.5 ARPA allotment.
Ward 4 Councilman George Ash announced he would be willing to sponsor a resolution at council's December meeting to allocate the funding needed to complete the wall project, but suggested the Park Board discuss requesting a levy be placed on the ballot for the November 2024 municipal election.
Those in attendance agreed the city needs to find ways to invest in recreation, but noted the current limits of available funding.
"If we invest in parks and recreation, we increase the attractiveness of the entire community," Ward 5 Councilwoman Flora Perrone said.
City Manager Mike Adams noted, when officials from Form Energy began visiting Weirton to consider the city for its manufacturing facility, many of them asked about recreational opportunities.