Follansbee Council considers festival funding, plaza plans
Trending
FOLLANSBEE -- Follansbee Council, Monday, approved funding for this year's Community Days event and was presented with an artist's rendering of the planned expansion of the Ray Stoaks Plaza.
Council voted 3-3 to provide $30,000 for the three-day festival, which will be held July 10-12, with Councilman at large John Casinelli, 1st Ward Councilman Paul Boniey and 2nd Ward Councilman Charles McCoy supporting the measure.
Voting against -- while stating they preferred to give $25,000, as was done last year -- were 3rd Ward Councilwoman Kathy Santoro, 4th Ward Councilwoman Alexis Russell and 5th Ward Councilwoman Wendy DeAngelis.
The tie was broken by Mayor David Velegol Jr., who had made the request on behalf of Community Days' volunteer committee.
Prior to the vote, McCoy asked why the group was requesting more when it had about $11,000 left over from last year, while DeAngelis said though she supports the festival, many city streets need paving.
Velegol said any funds remaining this year would be carried over again, as a buffer, and $30,000 would pave only a small amount of roadway.
He said the committee has set out to hold more fundraisers than in the past while continuing to solicit donations from local businesses that have been vital to the event.
He said in addition to an upcoming bingo and quarter auction, the group will be serving up pasta e fagioli from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the City Building and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Community House each Friday through Lent.
The cost is $6.
Velegol said this year's festival won't include a Sunday afternoon kickoff at Follansbee Park because turnout for the musical entertainment there has been low in recent years.
But Velegol said the kickoff dinner will return. He said that event isn't a fundraiser for the festival, as it usually only pays for itself, but it serves to recognize residents past and present for their accomplishments and service to the community.
Council also approved the hiring of Marcy Jackson as a part-time crossing guard for the Brooke Intermediate North school on Jefferson Street.
Both actions were taken during a special meeting following Monday's work session.
In other business, Velegol said Ohio Street will be opened to two-way traffic to address concerns about access to Virginia Avenue when Penn Street is closed by the City Building to accommodate the expansion of the Ray Stoaks Plaza.
He noted extended curbs at Ohio Street's intersection with state Route 2 will need to be removed so it can accommodate two-way traffic as it once did.
Velegol said other side streets also lead to Virginia Avenue but the move should help to alleviate concerns about emergency vehicles being able to reach the street and others east of it in a timely manner.
Plans call for the plaza to serve as a public square with picnic tables, benches and flower beds.
Velegol said food trucks could be invited to sell lunches there. He said CT Consultants of Washington, Pa., the engineering firm hired to plan the plaza, is pursuing four grants for it.
Velegol said other information and a more detailed design will be shared at a public meeting in the future.
He said he sees the plaza as a way to attract more visitors to the city.
"We've got to pull people back downtown. We've got to build the core of the city up," Velegol said.
Also on Monday, council discussed allocating about $3,000 to purchase hanging flower pots along Main Street.
Russell said former councilman Jim Mirasola has asked for flowers at the Parkview sign. She suggested a planter atop the sign with flowers that could hang over it.
(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)