Mayor’s Report March 2025
Eco Valley Sandblasting has been working at the park to remove the old paint from the basketball backstops to get them ready to be painted. I expect to have a LWCF (Land, Water, Conservation Fund) project invoice number 4 ready to submit for reimbursement later this week. I followed up on invoice number 3 only to learn that LWCF staff could not find it. The documents were re-submitted.
The town has begun the budget process for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Ferrari & Associates have finalized our annual audit for 2023-24. Business hours have been adjusted for the public due to being short staffed. The office is open from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and by appointment. The answering machine is updated with the new hours. We received five applications for the administrative clerk position. A committee will review the applications.
Jason Smith removed 21 trees at the park and the large tree beside the cafeteria building. The Creative Art for Lifelong Learning Classes are underway. The basket weaving class is being offered in two locations (Wardensville & Moorefield). We are trying to reach more people.
Our three senior employees have left the Senior Employment Program. Two candidates no longer met the income requirement and the other has been timed out of the program. I would like Council to consider the employment program with Region-9. A candidate could be hired to work 30 hours a week. The program would cover the first $6,000 of payroll or the first six months of employment. I have signed up for a webinar on the Ameri Corp program to see if there are possibilities there for positions.
Presentation
The Youth Giving Committee from the Farmers Work Wonders (FWW) program addressed the council. FWW is a non-profit organization located in Wardensville that places an emphasis on gardening and outdoor activities while mentoring youth to become responsible adults with useful skills. Teen officers of the Youth Giving Committee provided information about program goals. The group works to keep Main Street clean and attractive. They have applied for a grant through the Make It Shine project with West Virginia REAP (Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan). Several local businesses partner with them. On Saturday, April 19th the group will clean Main Street from 9 a.m. to noon. The Council gave their endorsement and agreed to help spread the word. More can be learned about the Youth Giving Committee by visiting https://farmsworkwonders.org/youth-giving-committee/ on the Internet.
Public Works Report
Erich Atkinson provided the latest news on the new water system project. Fire hydrants on Sassafras, Carpenter, and Mulberry Lanes have dead valves. While those are being replaced, the main water line will be shut off. After the work is completed, there will be a boil water advisory in place temporarily. All new service lines have been installed at Warden Acres including new meters and meter setters. Work on the water system has been completed at Stonecrest Village also. The water boy at town park which allows residents purchase to large amounts of water at a cost saving rate instead of using their own, is being re-installed by Barry and Associates. It will be shut down for three to four weeks while the new kiosk is put in place. Once it is available to the public, residents can use a keypad to buy water with a credit or debit card and enter the amount of water to be purchased.
Hardynet will install a new keypad at the Community Center. Fobs will be provided only to those who are approved to have access. The old key system used a code that was widely known and routinely used by many who were not authorized to enter the building. The surface of the basketball and tennis courts at the park are currently being sandblasted. Once work is finished, the public will be able to use the courts. Walking trails in the park will be closed until the new water system is installed in that area. Council members estimate that the trails will be accessible again in July at the earliest.
Consent Items
Minutes of the March Council meeting were unanimously approved.
Unfinished Business
Orndoff-Sayers presented Resolutions 2025-08 and 2025-09 for Council’s approval. The first concerns a drawdown of money from the town water revolving fund to provide a payment for the water project in the amount of $9,624. The latter is a drawdown of $259,000 to be paid to Snyder Engineering for the sewer project. A roll call vote resulted in unanimous approval for both resolutions. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has offered a grant for the purchase of a generator that will be used at various town owned buildings. The mayor an invoice from the supplier which will be submitted to FEMA as proof of costs. Two other generators will hopefully be purchased with funding from Congressional earmarks. Engineers with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Program will be in Wardensville on Thursday, March 13th to measure the old school cafeteria for renovation. This is a $1.3 million project with a 20 percent match from the town.
New Business
The Fitness Center Board has been dissolved. A new board will be reconfigured once work in the cafeteria and fitness center is complete, that will not be as specialized.
The council entered into an executive session at 7:36 p.m. to discuss personnel issues. Following that session, the meeting adjourned with the Council’s full consent. The next meeting of Town Council is scheduled for Monday, April 10, 2025, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Visitors Center
