KINGWOOD — Kingwood’s small town vibe is threatened by a group of people who are trespassing, intimidating residents, littering and possibly using drugs, a businessman told council this week.
“They sit on my porch late at night. It makes my janitors afraid to take the trash out,” said Jimmy Maier, owner of Monroe’s on Main Street. “This is not the way we want to see the town that we’re in.” People are also loitering and littering at the lawn of his home, Maier said.
Mayor Jean Guillot, the owner of The Preston County Inn, agreed with Maier there is a problem. “We had people sleeping on the front porch of The Inn three nights in a row,” Guillot said.
“They’re brazen. When you find them, it’s scary,” Maier said, adding later, “This is a Little League, Buckwheat Festival, swimming pool type of town. That’s the thing I like about it, and I’d like to see it stay that way.”
The mayor said if business or property owners call the police chief or 911, they will respond. Without a trespassing complaint from the property owner, it’s hard for police to demand why someone is someplace, he said.
Councilwoman Karen Kurilko asked if the people are homeless? She noted people have broken into a vacant apartment building on Morgan Street and other buildings and live there.
Guillot said they are mostly transients. “A lot of the issues are them hanging out at night,” the mayor said, and many stay around the Circle K on Main Street, which is open 24 hours. It’s “a pretty rough crowd,” Maier noted.
Councilman Mike Lipscomb said the problem is new here but Morgantown, Clarksburg and Fairmont deal with it. He said Clarksburg sends a social worker with police. Perhaps Kingwood should talk to other towns about what they are doing, Lipscomb suggested.
Maier wondered if some of the new 1% municipal tax can be used to add officers. There are two on the force now, but efforts to recruit a third have been unsuccessful, Councilman Josh Fields said.
The mayor said Chief Charlie Haney now starts work earlier and goes to Brown’s Park and other areas where people are staying and leaving trash.
“We seem to just be moving them from place to place,” Guillot said.
Kingwood has a curfew, for minors. Curfew is 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. There are exceptions during the Buckwheat Festival and for those going back and forth to work.
Also at the meeting:
–Guillot said the State Division of Highways will pave Tunnelton Street before the Buckwheat Festival.
–Lipscomb suggested council sell the lot on South Price where the city tore down a dilapidated building last year.
— council approved final reading of an ordinance to raise salaries for council, the recorder and mayor, beginning with the next council’s terms.
–council gave the Water Board the go ahead to replace a vehicle. All it now has have more than 100,000 miles.
–Perry Barlow was reappointed to the water board. Lefty Stonebraker resigned from the condemnation committee, and Kathy Mace was appointed to the spot. Jeff Zigray was reappointed to the library board.
— council noted Sept. 6 is the deadline to nominate someone for citizen of the year. Original nomination forms must be obtained from city hall.
–Councilwoman Michelle Whetsell said 61 new street signs are on order. The last of the old signs should be replaced next year, she said.
