WEIRTON — Weirton Council is set to vote on the second reading of an ordinance which, if enacted, would increase the city’s Municipal Service Fee to assess an additional $3 per week from every individual who works in the city.

Prior to that, though, residents will have an opportunity to let council know their views on the proposal.

Weirton Council will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m., Monday, in the Weirton Room of the Millsop Community Center to accept comment on Ordinance 2272 which would amend and re-enact the Weirton Municipal Service Fee.

It’s all part of plans for the city to fund the hiring of six new firefighters in its efforts to provide improved fire service, as well as to fully reopen the County Road Fire Station in the city’s north end.

The reopening of the County Road station would establish a third district for the Weirton Fire Department, to include the areas of Weircrest, Harris Hills, Kings Creek Bowl, Owings Addition, Terrace Heights, portions of Weir Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue up to North 15th Street, as well as providing fire protection for Form Energy, Bidell Gas Compression, and much of the Cleveland Cliffs and Frontier Group properties.

The Weirton Municipal Service Fee was enacted in March 2004 during the administration of former mayor William Miller through the passage of Ordinance 1417, establishing a $2 per week fee to be assessed to every person working within the city limits.

The original ordinance notes “The City Council of the City of Weirton finds that the City provides to all individuals within its borders certain services, whether they are residents employed within the City, or individuals living outside the City and employed within the corporate boundaries of the City,” that “The City Council of the City of Weirton finds that such services include public works, street department functions, street maintenance, capital projects, and public health and safety,” as well as “The City Council of the City of Weirton finds that all of those individuals, who use, enjoy and benefit from these services, should bear an equitable share of the costs thereof.”

The original purpose of the fee, as declared by officials at the time, was to provide additional funding toward the paving of city streets.

Under Ordinance 2272, city officials note “the Common Council of the City of Weirton, West Virginia has determined that it is essential to amend the fee outlined in Ordinance 1417, Section V, Paragraph (a.) to a fee of five dollars ($5.00) PER CALENDAR WEEK.”

No other changes are delineated in the proposed ordinance currently.

During council’s February meeting, Ordinance 2272 received a 6-1 vote, with Ward 6 Councilman Anthony Rocchio voting against. Later in the meeting, though, Ward 1 Councilman Tim Connell, who was participating by telephone, expressed concern on the level of the fee increase proposed, saying he would be more in favor of raising the fee to $4 per week instead of $5.

The hearing will be held before the regular Weirton Council meeting at 7 p.m., also to be held in the Weirton Room, during which time the second reading of Ordinance 2272 is scheduled to be held.