SEARCH UNDER WAY — On Tuesday, Wellsburg Council members made plans to interview candidates for city manager in a few weeks. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The search for a new city manager is under way, with Wellsburg Council members making plans to interview eight applicants for the position on Nov. 10 and 13.

Pending availability of at least a majority of council members, the panel on Tuesday made plans to conduct interviews in executive session on those dates.

Mayor Dan Dudley presented to each council member a packet containing applications from the eight.

Following the meeting, he said all of them are from the Wellsburg area.

The question of whether the city manager should be required to live in the city had been raised but council hasn’t included it while advertising the vacancy.

Asked when the new city manager may be hired, Dudley said, “We want to have somebody in place at least by late November or early December so they can work with the (current) city manager.”

Current City Manager Steve Maguschak has announced he will retire after Jan. 24 after 41 years of public service, including his present position and stints as police chief and village administrator of Mingo Junction.

Maguschak said having his successor work with him for a time is a good idea, but council also will need to weigh the cost involved.

The ad states the salary for the selected candidate will depend on that individual’s qualifications.

Plans also have been made for council to meet at 6 p.m. next Tuesday to discuss the interviewing process.

Third Ward Councilman Randy Fletcher said past councils allotted 15 minutes for each candidate.

Dudley shared several questions that have been put to previous applicants, adding council members may ask additional questions.

Third Ward Councilman Tom Gaudio asked if a candidate could be called back for a second interview and was told that could happen.

On Tuesday, council also again discussed whether to hold two voting meetings each month.

Tuesday’s meeting was among those called for council’s committees, which are comprised of council members and at which no action may be taken.

Action by council currently is reserved for its first monthly meetings, which are held at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month.

Gaudio said council would be more productive if it were able to conduct business at both. He suggested earlier there may be business that council should address before its first meeting.

Maguschak suggested if necessary, council may call a special meeting at which it may take action.

There was some discussion about whether the first meeting should be moved 6 p.m., and that may be raised at council’s next regular meeting, which has been moved to Nov. 12 because the usual meeting date is Veterans Day.

Council also revisited having its elections next year coincide with the state’s.

It’s a move seen as a cost savings for the city, which spends about $5,000 for each of its elections.

But it also would result in the terms of some city officials being cut short by six months.

Fletcher suggested putting it on hold until 2032, when the West Virginia Legislature has required all of the state’s municipalities to merge their elections with the state’s.

But he reiterated his desire to have voters in all four of the city’s wards cast their ballots at the Wellsburg Banquet Hall.

Fletcher has suggested the large rental hall could be divided into four areas for each ward.

He and others have suggested it would cut costs for poll workers while ensuring a handicap-accessible polling place for all voters.

In other business:

• Council agreed to move the city’s trick or treat hours from Thursday to Saturday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in light of inclement weather predicted for Thursday.

Fletcher and 4th Ward Councilman Fred Marino said they received complaints when the city didn’t immediately change the date, as some other communities have done.

But Merino said council could not have anticipated the weather forecast when it set the hours months ago.

He noted the hours had been set for Oct. 30 because Brooke High School will play Weir on Saturday and many residents were expected to attend the game in Weirton.

Dudley noted that decision received mixed response, adding it’s difficult to please everyone.

• Council members discussed whether it will be necessary to relocate the city’s police department following the sale earlier this week of the former Wellsburg Middle School, where it has operated since 2022.

City Police Chief Mike Allman said it appears the building’s new owners support the department remaining there, and council may wish to wait until some communication has occurred with them before taking action.