CITY MANAGER APPROVED — At a special meeting Monday, Follansbee Council accepted Mayor David Velegol Jr.’s nomination of Chris Manack-Stover for its city manager. Velegol is slated to negotiate a salary with Manack-Stover to be presented for council’s approval at a future meeting. -- Warren Scott

FOLLANSBEE — At a special meeting Monday, Follansbee Council accepted the mayor’s nomination for city manager and agreed to hold a public auction for city-owned property once occupied by the Jo-Jon’s store.

Following a brief executive session, council unanimously accepted the mayor’s choice of Chris Manack-Stover for city manager pending contract negotiations between her and Velegol.

The mayor said council must approve her salary at a future meeting and that also may be a special meeting so she can step into the new role in the near future.

A resident of the city’s Highland Hills section, Manack-Stover has been employed as a human resource manager at Weirton Medical Center.

But she may be more familiar to local residents as a member of the volunteer Follansbee Community Days Committee, for which she organized various fundraisers.

Velegol confirmed the city has been in the process of updating its personnel policy and her experience in that area will be very helpful.

He said she was one of two good applicants who were interviewed for the position by council in executive session at a special meeting on June 7.

Manack-Stover’s nomination follows the departure in April of Joe DiBartolomeo, whose background included a stint as Weirton’s city manager.

She wasn’t available for comment on the new position.

Council also met Monday to approve the first steps needed to hold a public auction for about 0.94 acres of city-owned property near the intersection of Mahan Lane and state Route 2.

The lot is about half of property purchased by the city in 2021 for $195,000 and had been occupied by the Jo-Jon’s building, former home to various businesses owned by Joseph or John Settimio but vacant for many years.

The structure was razed at the recommendation of Velegol, who hoped to attract new business to the lot.

“We have somebody that’s really interested in that property, a national entity, and we’re really excited about it,” he said Monday.

Velegol said he can’t comment further because under city code, other bids must be accepted at the auction, which will be held at the City Building at a date to be announced.

Council approved a minimum bid of $400,000 for the property, while City Attorney Michael Gaudio noted the panel may place restrictions on its use and reject any bid.

Velegol said the entire 3-acre property was appraised at about $625,000, and the lot going up for bid is between Mahan Lane and the billboard, leaving other areas east and south of it still available.