The Moorefield Town Council covered a wide range of topics at their meeting on March 3.
Moorefield’s South Levee certification draft looks good, and is ready for FEMA, said Public Works director Lucas Gagnon.
The South Levee protects Moorefield south — towards Petersburg — of the bridge in town over the South Fork river. The levee crosses the railroad on Rohrbaugh Lane on one side, and extends nearly to Brighton Park and the South Branch river on the other.
In 1985, the South Branch had a 400-year flood event, and the South Fork had a 1000-year event.
The 1985 flood would not “overtop,” or spill over the top, of the South Levee.
The North Levee requires more work before FEMA can approve it.
From Weimer Automotive dealership to the end of the Levee, it is not high enough, and there are four options.
First, the Town could do nothing, leave the levee as it is, and property owners in the flood plain behind it, including most of Moorefield, may have issues with flood insurance, or be required by banks to hold specific amounts or types of insurance.
Second, the levee’s height can be raised with earth, from six inches to two feet. This will cost between $500,000 and $600,000.
Third, the Town could use an I-wall, which involves burying most of a barrier wall in the levee, at a cost of $1.5 million.
Fourth, the Town could choose to use a T-wall barrier, which will cost about $1.6 million.
Both the third and fourth options leave only two to three feet of concrete above the levee, with the rest imbedded in the levee as reinforcement.
Gagnon told the Council that no action is required at this time, but will be soon. FEMA requires, “adequate progress,” he said, which the Town is more than accomplishing.
City Clerk Rick Freeman contacted multiple similarly-sized cities across West Virginia to determine how they are handling requirements for Building Inspectors and Zoning Officers.
Most inspectors are part of the Public Works departments, and average around $16 per hour.
No community reported their inspectors had all 11 state-required certifications.
Hampshire County contracts out their building inspections to Middle Department Inspection Agency, from Winchester. Property owners pay the contractor’s fees, rather than being paid by the county.
Freeman said the risk is that costs would increase somewhat for those building or improving their properties.
Council member Carol Zuber asked what the Zoning Officer’s job entails. Freeman replied the officer would be responsible for code updates as well as knowing the code inside and out.
Being well-versed in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and able to update the website, as well as grant-writing and possibly even code enforcement would also be valid responsibilities.
Freeman suggested, “outsourcing one,” the Building Inspector, and hiring the Zoning Officer.
Details such as payment and supervisory responsibility still need clarification.
“I need to know what direction you want me to go,” Freeman said, noting further that budgets are due and he needs to know how to best allocate funds.
“I think we need to look at contracting,” said Mayor Gary Stalnaker, referring to the Building Inspector position.
Freeman said he’d contact Hampshire County again for more details.
Council member Scott Fawley expressed concern that higher construction costs due to paying the inspectors’ fees could stifle construction.
Freeman said different communities handle it different ways, but that he regularly hears how low our costs and fees are compared to other communities.
Police
The Moorefield Police Department had 205 calls for service in February. Officers made 14 felony arrests and 72[private] misdemeanor arrests, and wrote 281 combined traffic citations and warnings.
Officers recovered a stolen vehicle. During the recovery, they located the suspects conducing a breaking and entering. Both suspects are in custody.
On Valentines Day, officers were involved in rescuing a cat that was shot with an arrow. The cat ended up surviving, and to date has raised more than $80,000 for the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.
Chief Stephen Riggleman spoke to the AWLA regarding Moorefield’s feral cat problem, and received information on grants and an agency that could help.
Officers also selected and 18-to-24-month-old Belgian Malinois named Riso to be the MPD’s K9 partner to handler officer Sergeant Kevin Helmick.
The Council unanimously hired Josh Vetter to the department.
Public Works
Water personnel made their final trip to research water meters; they went to Lovettsville, Va. to look at Kamstrup meters.
They met with a chemical representative from Phoenix Solutions, investigating options to lower chemical costs.
Sewer crews met with a representative from Advance Rehabilitation, who viewed several manholes so he could price repairing them.
They pulled a pump at the South Branch Inn pump station three times because it was stopped up with debris.
Town Park personnel have replaced backboards, finished placing exercise equipment around the walking trail, and finished building benches and trash can covers. The house at the entrance to the Park is gone, and the lot will be prepared for parking.
Little League baseball and the schools’ spring sports have begun. The Council approved a request to advertise for a Pool Manager.
Streets and Levee crews cleaned the ditch line from First Street to the river in Misty Terrace to prevent draining issues.
They cleaned brush and trees from Cedar Street to the water plant, and cleaned the lot at 113 Jackson Avenue.
They cleaned storm drains with the Vactor truck, and worked on getting wiring, conduit and lights finished at the new shop at the old sewer lagoon.
Other Business
• The Council approved donating a shelter at the Park on June 20 for a Make A Wish event.
• The Council approved Judy Patterson to a three-year term on the Landmark Commission, replacing John Elmore, who recently died.
• The Council will discuss the budget at their next meeting on Mar. 17, and on Mar. 24. Freeman encouraged the Council to consider the levees, the 1% sales tax increase on July1, the Moorefield Volunteer Fire Department’s requests, letters from local organizations, and payroll as they approach the budgeting process.
The budget is due to the state by Mar 28.
“We must be vigilant,” Freeman said. “We want to make sure we’re spending the taxpayers’ money wisely.”
• The Council discussed Linda Hatfield’s reimbursement claim from the meeting on Feb. 18. The Town’s lawyer, Jack Walters, told Freeman that, per tort law, the Town is responsible for the sidewalk because it borders Town-owned land.
Walters suggested the Town turn it over to their insurance company, an action the Council approved.
[/private]• The next meeting is scheduled for March 17 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall. The public is welcome to attend.