REEDSVILLE — The Town of Reedsville hit “a snag” in trying to get a loan to buy the property next to town hall.
“Clear Mountain said we were good to go and now they called back and said we can’t do that,” Mayor Jason Titus said.
During a special meeting in June, council members unanimously voted to purchase the approximately one-quarter to one-half acres of property at 215 S. Robert Stone Way and the parcel next to it towards the S turn.
The property would cost the town $45,000. Council voted to put $10,000 down and get a loan from Clear Mountain Bank to cover the remaining $35,000.
It was determined the lease/loan would need to include a sunset clause and non-appropriation language.
Titus said council can’t have a loan that would extend past the current councils term in office.
“I believe our problem comes in because they’re used to dealing with Morgantown and places that have a building committee,” Councilman Greg Burke said. “We don’t have one.”
Morgantown has a three-member building commission.
Titus said the bank suggested someone in town buy the property and lease it to council or the town buy it outright.
“We can buy it,” Burke said. “But it will make things tight. I asked Danielle (Spiker, town clerk) if we have enough money to put $20,000 or $25,000 down and owner-finance.”
Titus said if the owner agreed to those terms, the town would have to pay the loan off by June 31, 2021.
Council voted to have town attorney Mark Gaydos ask the property owner if he would agree to a sizeable down payment and a 10-month lease-to-own agreement.
“If the owner agrees, we’ll have to have an emergency meeting to discuss this,” Titus said.
In other business, council voted to cancel its contract with Parrotta Paving. In February council accepted Parrotta Paving’s bid to do needed work on Park Avenue.
Titus said the work was to begin “as soon as temperatures allowed.”
He said when he contacted Parrotta about the project he was told they hadn’t started because rain had backed them up.
Council voted unanimously to send Parrotta a notice canceling the contract and rent equipment so town workers can repair the road.
Council also discussed cleaning up leaves from the park.
“Kids can use work,” councilwoman Renee Stone suggested. “Give them a couple of bucks and let them do it.”
Titus said the town couldn’t do that. He said leaves also needed to be removed from ditches.
Burke suggested council get information and prices for the equipment needed to do ditches, vacuum leaves and repair roads.
Council also voted to make a budget revision for general fund 2020-21. The revision was made so council could refund donations that were made for Touch a Truck. The event was canceled due to COVID-19.
The next meeting of the Reedsville Council will be 6:30 p.m. Aug. 10.
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