WELLSBURG — Wellsburg Council Tuesday gave its blessing to plans to honor local veterans with banners along state Route 2 and considered canceling the city’s primary election.

Council heard from Eric Fithyan and Donna Sullivan, who proposed inviting families and others to sponsor banners bearing the names and images of local veterans.

Fithyan said MonPower has been asked for permission to hang the 21 inch by 48 inch banners on 100 utility poles along the highway within the city.

Pending the company’s permission, he asked if city crews would hang the banners, which also could include each veteran’s military branch and military conflicts in which he or she served.

Fithyan said Main Street Bank has agreed to donate $7,500 for the banners’ brackets, which reduces the amount needed from the flags’ sponsors to $100 each.

With Memorial Day eyed for the banners’ debut, he hopes to announce application details in the near future.

Council members and other city officials voiced their support for the endeavor, with 4th Ward Councilman Charlie Harris and 3rd Ward Councilman Tom Gaudio saying they may sponsor a banner for a late Vietnam veteran they know who may not have local survivors.

In other business, Mayor Sue Simonetti asked council to consider canceling the city’s April 6 primary election because there are no opposed candidates for any office.

She noted it’s been done in the past, when there were no more than two candidates in a race, to save the cost of an election.

Third Ward Councilman Randy Fletcher said the city may be required to mail more absentee ballots due to concerns about exposure to COVID-19.

Harris noted individuals may file as write-in candidates prior to the election and suggested tabling the matter.

Simonetti agreed to raise it at a future meeting.

In related business, council approved the appointment of Karen Aracich as collector-treasurer, a position that involves bookkeeping for the city’s revenue and payroll for city staff, submitting various financial data to the state auditor’s office and other duties.

The elected office became vacant with the resignation last month of Andrea Morris and also will appear on election ballots.

Simonetti and City Clerk Amanda Dudley confirmed Aracich also has declared her candidacy for the position as required by state law.

Like candidates for mayor, police chief and four council seats, she is unopposed.

Council also agreed to raise the salary for collector-treasurer, from $27,000 to $33,841.60, to make it comparable to other supervisors at City Hall.

The raise can’t go into effect until after the election.

Council also:

¯ Approved the final reading for the sale of up to $5,972,458 to repay a $4.9 million loan from the state Water Development Authority taken for replacement of water lines and electrical and other upgrades to the water plant.

Council earlier approved rate increases to also support the project.

¯ Heard from Bobbie Parsons, a resident of Harmon Drive, who said a steep slope near a sharp bend in the road make it very dangerous, particularly in winter. She asked for it to be plowed by city crews more regularly.

Harris, who represents her ward, said steps will be taken to address the road, which is off Rabbit Hill Road.

¯ Granted requests for use of city streets and parks for a June 5 event held in lieu of the Brooke-Hancock American Cancer Society Relay for Life and the sixth annual West Virginia Junior State Police Academy set for June 14-18.

Second Ward Councilwoman Mary Margaret Rosso said she supports both events but questioned whether the city should have a protocol for such events in the event the county is at level Red for COVID-19 cases then.

She noted council had moved that a Christmas-themed street fair would be canceled if the county were in the red at the time.

The issue was rendered moot when the event was moved to the Wellsburg Fire Hall parking lot, which is not city property.

Simonetti suggested discussing the issue at a future committee meeting.

¯ Approved the $14,800 purchase of a police cruiser and the hiring of Grant Retton as a patrolman.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)