New Martinsville held its regular city council meeting on Thursday, Sept. 13 after the meeting originally scheduled for Monday was cancelled because of flood threats to the downtown area. Mayor Steve Bohrer called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m., and council approved the August 2018 council meeting minutes. A motion to pay invoices was made and seconded and approved. It was not on the agenda, but council approved the motion with no objection.

Sharon Thomas, executive director of the New Martinsville Chamber of Commerce, approached council with a request for help in updating entrance signs located at the intersection of Rt. 2 and Harlan Drive. She said, in 2010, the city and chamber had partnered together on the signs, and now they need updated. She said the chamber is willing to purchase the paint and primer and any materials, but the chamber needs the city’s help to perform the labor. Mayor Steve Bohrer told Thomas he would have research the matter, and he would get back to her. Councilman Steve Pallisco told Thomas the city would help in some way. Thomas thanked council and said she would wait on an answer.

Johnny McCulley, a resident of Paducah Drive, questioned council about water issues on Paducah and East Thistle. He said this is the third time in the past few months he has approached council about a solution to the problem. He inquired as to what progress is being made. McCulley stated he has been told by state officials that there are grants available to fix the problems, and he wanted to know if the city has applied for any of them. He also said, a couple months back, it was determined his drains were legal and not flowing into the sewer system. However, he said, there are some residents’ drains that are not legal. He also mentioned a problem area he said is an easy fix. It is near his home, and he claimed he was told by Pat Durant that the city would address the problem in a week. “It is still the same way,” he said. McCulley asked council how long it was going to take to get the problem, with water coming into residents’ basements, taken care of. Durant was not available to answer the question.

Councilman Steve Pallisco, who chairs the street department committee, told McCulley the city is working hard on the issue and has a plan. Pallisco noted the city has met three times over the problem with Bel-o-Mar Regional Council from Wheeling, and the entities are well aware of the issue. Pallisco noted they are also going to be conducting some camera testing to see if they can locate the problem.

Pallisco said they are exploring grant opportunities for the city. However, he said, there are grants out there, but it takes time and money to get them. Most of them are matching grants, he said. “This is not something that happens over night,” said Pallisco. “Believe me, we are well aware of the situation, and we are going hire a firm to do some camera testing to look to see if there is anything in the system.”

McCulley said it has been 70 days since he first approached council. “I don’t think it should take that long to find out what’s wrong,” he said. Mayor Bohrer explained problems like this are happening all over the state, and it is not easy to get grant money. “Nearly every community has the same problem,” Bohrer stated. “I have a lot of confidence in this council, and I believe they will work and find a solution.” McCulley thanked the council for allowing him to speak, and he said he would be back at the next regular council meeting. Pallisco said this is a problem that dates back over 30 years.

Council approved Oct. 29, from 6-7 p.m. as the date and time for Trick-or-Treat. A request from committee chairwoman Iris Isaacs, to move forward with home rule, received a unanimous approval from council. The home rule will allow the city to add a one percent sales tax to certain items as a way to increase revenue for the city’s general fund. It will provide income, but the city will have to lower the B&O tax. Absent from the council meeting was councilman Joe Smith.

Councilman Joel Potts made a motion based on committee recommendation to approve a citizen’s request to add a light pole on Anderson Lane in Brooklyn. The motion was seconded and approved by unanimous vote.

Street Department committee chairman Steve Pallisco mentioned Street Superintendent Gary Willey has been off work due to an illness. Pallisco stated Willey may return to work soon. He said in Wiley’s absence, the department has been doing very well getting work done, and he commends them for that.

A request to approve allowing New Martinsville Police Department Officer Courtney South to take home a cruiser by grandfathering her in the policy was approved by a 3-2 vote. Voting to deny the request was Isaacs and Potts. Voting in favor of the request was Councilmen Ryan Yost and Jeff Gieseke, along with. South will be allowed to take the cruiser home, out of the county, while working as a resource officer. Current city policy allows vehicles to be taken home on a 15 mile basis.

Electric Department Superintendent David White asked council to place on the next agenda’s meeting a recognition of four individuals who provided what may have been life saving assistance to a resident who fell outside of city hall recently. He said they provided first aid while waiting on the EMS. It was decided to have them present at the next regular scheduled meeting when they will be presented with some type of award.

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Special Meeting Leads to Cruiser Approval

At a Sept. 17 special meeting of New Martinsville council, council unanimously approved the purchase of a 2018 Ford Explorer for the police department. A loan, in the amount of $28,000, will be used to obtain funds.

It was noted $20,100 will be returned in insurance money for a wrecked cruiser; these funds will be applied to the loan. Out of police funds, money will be used to equip the new Ford Explorer.

The motion for the purchase was made by Jeff Gieseke and seconded by Ryan Yost. Council members Joel Potts and Iris Isaacs were absent from the meeting.