FOR SALE — Wellsburg 3rd Ward Councilman Randy Fletcher posts a sign at one of 18 parcels to be sold by the city at a public auction on Oct. 12. Most of the properties are vacant lots left with the demolition of dilapidated structures through a program of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — A total of 18 city-owned parcels will go up for bid in a public auction to be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 12 in front of Wellsburg City Hall.

On Tuesday, Wellsburg Council approved a resolution for the auction, which involve mostly vacant lots left the demolition of dilapidated structures through a program of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

State Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Wellsburg, who also serves as the city’s legal counsel, secured $281,000 in grants for the demolition of more than a dozen structures and about a dozen more to follow in the near future.

Weld said while several were acquired through condemnations, most of the property owners were happy to turn the aging structures over to the city and none received any money for them.

Not wishing to assume the cost of insuring or mowing the lots, council has set a minimum bid of $1,000 or $2,000 for each.

A legal ad for the auction states a nonrefundable $1,000 deposit, by cash or cashier’s check, must be paid on the day of the sale, with the balance to be paid in full in the same manner “upon completion of a due diligence process, which shall not exceed 45 days without mutual agreement of the parties.”

Weld noted council will have final approval of each sale and reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

A resident asked council on Tuesday why a garage and some steps remain on some of the lots and was told the grant covered only the removal of houses and all of the parcels will be sold as is.

The 18 properties are: 2515 Charles St., 2229 Charles St., 815 Charles St., 538 Charles St., 1325 Main St., 1124 Main St., 3006 Pleasant Ave., 2918 Pleasant Ave., 2800 Pleasant Ave., 2708 Pleasant Ave., 2706 North High St., an unnumbered lot also on North High Street with a legal description of Lot 13 Chestnut Heights, 2003 Yankee St., 216 Yankee St., rear and front parcels at 51 25th St. to be sold together, 229 Brinker Road and 182 Tenth St.

Signs announcing the auction have been posted on each parcel. Prospective bidders also may make an appointment to see them by calling the city manager’s office at (304) 737-2104 Monday through Friday except on holidays.

In other business, council heard from residents Chrissy Kaylor and Carol Robinson, who complained of vicious dogs roaming areas of the city.

Kaylor said a resident keeps a dog outside in poor conditions and allows it to roam, resulting in it biting people and other dogs. She added early one morning, she saw seven dogs roaming free.

Kaylor stressed she owns two dogs that she walks and has nothing against canines. She told council some residents have said they are considering carrying guns to protect themselves.

Robinson said one morning she was outside with her dog when another resident lost control of a dog and it ran toward her and her dog, leading them to flee into her home.

“It made me feel very unsafe,” she said.

Both women asked what can be done to address the problem.

Weld told them he and his wife walk their dogs in town and he’s aware of the issue. He said the city has an ordinance allowing it to seize dogs found to be vicious but lacks the resources to impound the animals.

Weld said the county has a dog warden who has handled such incidents while City Police may pursue a misdemeanor charge against a dog’s owner through municipal court.

He said state law also allows a judicial official to order a vicious dog be killed but such a decision must follow a civil action against the owner, which may be filed in Brooke County Magistrate Court.

Kaylor also complained of drivers traveling at high speeds in areas of the city, especially at night, and parked vehicles and two utility poles near her home have been struck.

She suggested posting stop signs on Charles Street and Main Street near the school zone to encourage drivers to slow down.

When Fletcher suggested police conduct radar surveillance, City Police Chief Mike Allman said he has done so but he’s not observed speeding while he’s present.

Allman encouraged the placement of stop signs while adding he needs more officers to patrol more areas.

In related business, Fletcher complained of tractor trailers causing damages and accidents while traveling to Eagle Manufacturing’s headquarters on Charles Street. He said he observed one run into a utility pole and become caught in its lines.

Allman noted the truck did not bring the pole down and it was deemed by utility officials to be secure.

Fletcher said the addition of Eagle’s warehouse on state Route 2 was thought to be a remedy to large trucks traveling on residential city streets.

“Charles Street is not the place for tractor-trailer traffic. I want them to fix the problem they have so they can continue to be successful,” he said.

Mayor Dan Dudley suggested city officials meet with Eagle officials to express their concerns.

During the meeting, Dudley also expressed thanks to the Wellsburg Applefest Committee, city police and city crews for their efforts during the recent festival, which drew many to the city on its three days.