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WELLSBURG -- Potential action against dilapidated structures and the expense of a new police cruiser were among issues before Wellsburg Council on Tuesday.
City Solicitor Ryan Weld told council he plans to call a meeting of the city's building enforcement agency to discuss about a dozen structures, including the former GenPak building.
Weld said he will ask the board to give the former factory's owners 30 days to tear it down.
He and other city officials have pushed for the Charles Street building's removal since it was destroyed by a fire accidentally set by young trespassers in 2017.
The owner failed to comply with a consent order calling for it to be razed in May 2019, and Weld has commented that his patience has been exhausted.
Council also learned work on a new police cruiser for the city has been completed.
But City Manager Steve Maguschak said the police department lacks funds to pay its $29,808 cost.
He said council had approved the vehicle, pending available funds, and the city was to be notified before the vehicle was completed but it was not.
Maguschak said money could be pulled from the city's street funds for it.
First Ward Councilman Jack Kins asked whether the city had applied for money through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
Other council members agreed that the police department may be eligible for the funds, and Maguschak agreed to look into it.
City Police Chief Rich Ferguson said production of the vehicle was moved up without the city's knowledge.
He said the sale of two retired vehicles will help cover costs for the vehicle's equipment.
Ferguson said he'd offered to loan the city the money for the car but was told that would be illegal.
Communication became difficult during the videoconferenced meeting, with one council member's comments distorted and others echoed on multiple occasions.
Second Ward Councilman Paul T. Billiard suggested the panel resume meeting in person while wearing masks and taking other precautions against spread of the coronavirus.
While the move was supported by some, others said they or family members are at risk of suffering severely from the disease if they should contract the virus.
The discussion ended with talk of tweaking the devices used for the videoconference instead.
In other business:
¯ Fourth Ward Councilman Charlie Harris said vehicles are still being parked on sidewalks along state Route 2 at the south end of town.
Council earlier received a complaint the vehicles were forcing pedestrians to walk into the busy highway to get around them.
Harris said they present a safety hazard that could result in someone getting hurt and the city being sued.
Ferguson said citations have been issued to some but the vehicles' owners are concerned their vehicles will be struck by large trucks traveling through the narrow section of highway.
Kins said there are few places for many of them to park.
¯ Maguschak asked council to consider adopting state codes for building construction for enforcement by the city's building inspector; and altering personnel policies involving tenure for police officers rehired the city and longevity pay for all employees.
The proposals were referred to council's next round of committee meetings, which will start at 6 p.m. Aug. 25.
¯ Council approved a proposal by local businessman Eric Fithyan to post decorative seasonal banners along the Town Square and to seek sponsors of others along Charles Street.
Mayor Sue Simonetti said the sponsorships would go to the flags' expense, with no proceeds, and the project would require no money or labor from the city.
¯ Council granted a request from the Liv-A-Little Community Center to hold two yoga classes, one for youth and another for adults, between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the 18th Street Park.
It also considered a request from Alexandra Schneider, director of the Brooke County Public Library, for a project at Central Park.
Maguschak said it would involve temporary stations at which children would read part of a story before moving on to the next one.
He suggested the 4th Ward Park might be a better site, given its proximity to the Yankee Trail, and agreed to discuss it with her.
(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)