WESTOVER — In an emergency addition to Monday’s meeting agenda, Westover City Council voted on first reading to reconstitute the three-person sanitary sewer board it eliminated just over two years ago.
After consistently struggling to get volunteers to serve, the city dissolved the board in May 2022 and brought sanitary sewer management on as a department of the city.
Attorney Tim Stranko explained the West Virginia Water Development Authority doesn’t like that.
The WDA’s opinion is paramount as it prepares to purchase up to $5 million in sewer revenue bonds to finance the city’s upcoming Holland Avenue and Dunkard Avenue pump station projects,
“They have raised an issue about the governance of the sewer utility. They believe it’s important that we have a sanitary board, a three-person sanitary board, to review the bids, approve the contracts and approve the pay applications. They don’t want city council doing that directly,” he explained.
Stranko said the issue came to light late last week — too late to appear on the posted meeting agenda. He asked council to take it up as an emergency item as the city pushes to get the projects bid this month.
“We don’t want any delays in our quest to get this thing out for a bid to get the contractor that we need to do this project,” he said.
Mayor Bob Lucci will serve as the board chairman. Two additional members will be appointed upon second reading, likely at council’s June 17 meeting.
The 36.67% sewer rate increase that will be used to pay down the sewer revenue bonds was approved by council in April and was expected to take effect May 30.
It remains before the West Virginia Public Service Commission.
Stranko said customer rates will remain unchanged until the PSC’s order comes through.
“Everything looks fine. They just haven’t gotten around to issuing the order,” he said. “That sometimes happens when you’re dealing with the public service commission.”
Lastly, Westover Police Department Deputy Chief Scott Carl said the department has taken note of recent social media complaints about individuals riding ATVs in the city.
He explained that between May 30 and June 2, there were four ATVs towed, one arrest and three citations written as a result of one 911 call and increased officer patrols.
