New Martinsville Receives ATV Donation
New Martinsville Street Commissioner Gary Willey said his department is preparing for winter weather.
He said the city finally received some cinders treated with salt brine on Nov. 26. He had ordered them in July.
“The price only raised 50 cents on the ton,” Willey said.
The industry is trying to say there is a shortage, but his supplier says they are just trying to drive the price up.
All the plow trucks and spreaders are ready to go in the event of a snow or ice storm.
Willey said the Environmental Protection Agency is saying this will probably be the last year they can use cinders as they are calling them contamination.
He will keep his eye on that situation.
Some towns, such as Moundsville, spray the streets with salt brine before a storm hits.
“That’s something we need to look at if it’s going to happen,” said Councilman Steve Pallisco.
As far as street repairs go, Willey said he is having trouble getting the needed materials.
The blacktop plant wouldn’t supply the city for the previous two weeks, he reported at the Dec. 1 council meeting.
The street department has a couple jobs they want to get done: Lamont Lane and Neubauer Drive.
“A lot of it went out on Rt. 180,” Willey said. “They wouldn’t even give us four tons to patch holes.”
Likewise, the city can’t get concrete to do work on Wetzel and First streets.
All the concrete is going to the gas well pads.
On a final note, Willey said his department has received the Gator funded by CSX and they have it set up for winter.
Building Inspector Joe Hanna will be using it to clean sidewalks and parking lots for the city.
They noted the new all-terrain vehicle ordinance will not affect them as they law allows ATVs for work purposes.
In other city matters, Recorder Bonnie Shannon noted the department heads have talked and believe employees would rather have Thursday and Friday, Dec. 25 and 26, as their holidays instead of the traditional Dec. 24 and 25.
She said the issue doesn’t exist for New Year’s as they only have a holiday on New Year’s Day.
In regard to Christmas, Sharon Thomas and Chris Williams from the Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce attended the council meeting and thanked the city for all their help with the Christmas tree and general cooperation for the Christmas parade held on Main Street.
Council unanimously approved a resolution to authorize the city to be the fiscal agent for a $2,500 Governor’s Community Participation Grant that will help provide a new furnace at the Francis Creative Arts Center, home of ArtsLink. Shannon explained that the grant requires a local government unit to receive and administer the funds. This will not be an expense for the city.