KINGWOOD — The mayor and city supervisor said they were unable to convince the State Division of Highways (DOH) to budge on several traffic issues in town.
Mayor Jean Guillot and City Supervisor Bruce Pyles said Tuesday they met with a DOH representative Fouad Shoukry recently.
“There is no give and take,” the mayor said. “You can ask ‘This is what we want,’ and this is what he does: He does what he wants.” The city asked that parking be allowed on one side of newly paved Tunnelton Street. The street, a county route that is only partly inside city limits, was recently paved by the DOH, which painted both curb sides yellow, prohibiting parking.
“He won’t budge,” Pyles said.
Guillot said the DOH representative said the street is not wide enough to allow parking. Councilman Dick Shaffer, who lives on Tunnelton Street and does not have any off-street access, said his only option is being allowed to park in the Garden Towers lot, across the street.
“I’ve been parking there for 47 years,” Shaffer said of on-street parking on Tunnelton. “I don’t see how they can just change that.”
Guillot said the DOH also said no one should be parking in front of the Down Home Diner because they aren’t allowed to back into traffic on a state route.
And the town was shot down on its request to get a crosswalk on W.Va. 7 (Main Street) from the courthouse to the courthouse annex. “He said the more crosswalks on a state route, then the state has more liability, and they can walk to the corner,” Guillot said.
On Price Street, however, two signs designating a school crossing in front of the elementary school are to be placed. They were also told the city can’t repaint faded crosswalks, Guillot and Pyles said.
Recorder Bill Robertson said he would like to see the DOH’s findings in writing.
“He will not put anything in writing,” the mayor said. Pyles agreed, saying they had already been refused on that point.
“Then it’s hearsay and next year if we got a different representative it may all be totally different,” Robertson said. “There was no negotiating with him. The rules are black and white,” Guillot said.
Council also:
— Reminded those attending Buckwheat Festival parades chairs can be set up no earlier than two hours before parades and must be removed by one hour after each parade.
— Voted to ask the city attorney to bill former Officer J. Knotts for the cost of his training. Knotts signed a contract with the city when he was hired, agreeing to reimburse the town for training costs, if he didn’t stay in the job for a year after being trained.
Knotts graduated from the State Police Academy in August and was hired this month by the Preston County Sheriff’s Department.
Guillot said earlier the training costs $1,500. Wages, benefits and travel that will not be reimbursed total $17,268, Guillot said then. The city attorney is to prepare the final bill.
The vote was unanimous, with council members Josh Fields, Karen Kurilko and Michelle Whetsell not at the meeting.
— Was told by Police Chief Charlie Haney there have been a few inquiries from people who may be interested in working as a city officer. The mayor said one certified officer applied for a job.
