The Moorefield Police Department recovered a stolen vehicle, responded to 154 calls in November, made seven felony arrests and 50 misdemeanor arrests, and wrote 313 traffic citations and warnings.
They received AAA’s Community Traffic Safety Platinum Award, which is the highest award AAA presents, for traffic enforcement in 2019.
They assisted with Moorefield’s Christmas parade and events, and partnered with Capon Valley Bank for the Cram the Cruiser event on Dec. 7.
The department has also partnered with Toys for Tots, with three locations to drop off toys: the Town Office; the MPD lobby; and Capon Valley Bank.
Chief Stephen Riggleman told the council that two officers currently in the W.Va. State Police Academy will both graduate on December 13, and invited council members to attend.
Riggleman also briefed the council that he’d been contacted by Weimer Automotive. A Dodge Charger the department had on order with a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant was cancelled by Dodge.
Riggleman said the wait for a new Charger could be four months, or more than a year. Riggleman ordered a 2020 Dodge Durango, which will be $1000 less than the Charger would’ve cost the Town.
That means the MPD will receive two Dodge Durangos, including one approved at the last council meeting. One goes to the department’s detective, and one will be a patrol vehicle.
The Council discussed demolition bids for the property 222 Spring Avenue, which will become additional space for the Town Park.
Two bids were received, one for $9400.00 and one for $11,500.00. The contract went to the lowest bidder.
Public Utility Director Lucas Gagnon said the plan is to build the lot up to even with the Park, which will make it a bit higher than Spring Avenue.
Gagnon said Park employees were installing new exercise equipment, and aerated most of the Park’s grounds. Public Works installed five frost-free water hydrants to replace ones that were leaking.
A contractor approved at the last meeting has started trimming trees.
“He’s doing a really good job,” Gagnon said.
Water crews removed a hydrant on South Elm Street that was on a 4” line, and will replace it with one on a 10” line. They also replaced the bottoms of meters around Town that had broken during cold weather.
Sewer personnel replaced a manhole cover near Winchester Avenue on South Elm Street with a solid lid that has no holes; previously, citizens reported cockroaches coming onto the street from that location.
Street crews zipped up the roads on Mountain View Road and Wade Road to prepare them for paving. They checked snowplows and cinder beds, and pulled shrubs from around the Town Office’s parking lot that were struck by a car.
Gagnon also asked the council to consider replacing the Town’s Vactor truck, which helps vacuum out sewer lines. The truck is from 1997, and in poor condition. The Town got it used 15 years ago.
Gagnon found a used 2014 unit on a government website for about $70,000, with 5500 hours on it.
He also said, in an emergency, the Town could also rent Keyser’s truck for $300 per hour.
The issue was tabled for a future meeting.
The council approved paying their bills, and also approved providing a ham or turkey to Town employees for Christmas.