The least dramatic meeting the Moorefield Town Council has held in months occurred Tuesday night, March 18. The meeting’s primary focus was the budget for fiscal year 2026.
The meeting opened with a prayer led by visitor Greg Zirk, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Then Logan Moyers, from the Moorefield Athletic Boosters, stepped up to address the Council.
At the Council’s previous meeting, Mayor Carol Zuber wondered aloud about how money the Town donated to the Boosters for a running track was spent, given that the State had donated a considerable sum towards the project. The issue was initially addressed on social media, but several Boosters attended the meeting, as well.
Moyers started by clearly stating the Boosters were not attending to, “have a disagreement with anyone,” or to “debate what was or was not said” at the previous Council meeting.
“We are simply here to provide verification that we used your generous contribution exactly in the manner we told you we would,” Moyers said.
The Town gave the Boosters $60,000.
“We’ve provided copies of invoices proving that the Boosters have spent over $200,000 on the track project since receiving your contribution,” Moyers said. “I’m not going to waste your time going through the invoices one-by-one, the numbers speak for themselves.”
Moyers went on to say that some of the confusion that led to the mayor’s speculation was a result of funding provided for the project by former Governor Jim Justice.
“Although it was a request from the Boosters that ultimately resulted in that contribution, the State had to provide those funds directly to Hardy County Schools. The funding provided by the State was in the amount of $100,000 and that money will be used to cover the cost of the rubberizing and painting of the new track this summer, which is slated to cost approximately $104,000.”
The Council’s money was used to pave the track; the State’s will rubberize it.
Before closing, Moyers thanked the Council again for their contribution.
“The project truly would not have been possible and would not have taken place without it, and we are grateful to you for that,” he said.
“It was a total, gross misperception of what I said,” Zuber said, going on to explain she thought the Boosters were part of Hardy County Schools, and that the Boosters would have to go through them to get the money.
“I’m sorry for the misconception,” Zuber said.
The Committee on Aging was next. Bill Ours, chairman of the COA Board of Directors, Greg Greenwalt, a board member and the financial officer, and Mike Crites, executive director, were seeking support to get a dialysis center back in a building the COA manages. The dialysis company is willing to sign a 10-year lease, but is asking for at least the first year rent-free. That means the COA needs to make up a funding difference.
The group made clear they were visiting multiple entities with the same request, including the Hardy, Grant, and Pendleton County Commissions. “We’re really optimistic,” Ours said, about the center coming to Moorefield.
Ours said they weren’t requesting a specific amount of money, “just anything.” He also said if the project does not come to fruition, then the money will be returned.
During discussion later in the meeting, the Council decided to donate about $7600, with the possibility of revisiting it again later.
Public Works director Lucas Gagnon said the Masonic Lodge has “made strides” towards meeting the Town’s standard required to transfer the pump station on their property to the Town. He said he wanted to be able to give them some assurance before they spent more money on the project.
Council approved that, as long as the pump station is brought up to Town specifications, they will take over responsibility for it.
The Council addressed a final, previously tabled issue before moving onto the budget. At the last meeting, they discussed a donation to local schools for the Music In Our Schools program. City Clerk Rick Freeman assured the council that 100% of their donation would go to the schools.
The amount requested last month was $2500. Ultimately, the Council approved donating $5000 this year, and earmarking money for the same program next year.
The night’s primary topic was fiscal year 2026’s budget. The Town must have their budget complete by the end of March, for it to take effect on July 1 following approval by the State. Council member Terry Hardy had created a spreadsheet that the rest of the Council opted to use for their discussions.
The first decision they had to make was whether to factor in the same 2% cost of living increase the federal government used. The difference determined whether they had $361,000 or $370,000 in discretionary funding. They opted to apply the COLA increase.
The Council did not discuss every letter they received requesting funds, or make particular announcements about who would get what funding. They touched on the Health and Wellness Center, the Lions Club, Olivet Cemetery, and the Civil War Trail.
The Council unanimously accepted the General Fund 2025-2026 budget as discussed.
They unanimously agreed to pay invoices, then went into a 12-minute executive session for personnel issues, with no decisions made.
There was a brief discussion of Veterans Banners, planned for display at the Town Park. Park Director Juwana Bridger-Titus said she’s “on the verge” of launching the program on Facebook.
Titus said she was already fielding phone calls and messages from interested parties, and that early orders should be ready for display by Memorial Day.
The Park will display the banners from Memorial Day through Veterans Day.
As of this writing, the project was not yet launched on the Park’s Facebook page.
The Moorefield Council meets again on Tuesday, April 1 at 7 p.m. in their City Hall chambers. The public is encouraged to attend.
