OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

St. Albans City Council Meeting - February 18, 2026

City Council MeetingsWednesday, February 18, 2026
BodySt Albans, West Virginia
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateWednesday, February 18, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 23:32

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Uh if you bow your hands, I'll leave lead us in invitation.

0:03

Dear heavenly most gracious and glorious father, we thank you for this opportunity to come together to make our community a better place.

0:11

We ask for a hedge of uh blessing and protection over our first responders.

0:17

I uh protect them as they're out there doing their duties.

0:22

Uh and Lord, me personally, I want to be say thank you to for the employees that we have in the city of St.

0:31

Albans.

0:32

They do a fantastic job.

0:34

All right, and I ask this in Jesus' name.

0:37

Amen.

0:38

All right, uh, Terry, lead us in the pledge, please.

0:42

Let's do the way of the United States of America.

0:46

And to the republic for which it stands.

0:53

Liberty and justice are all.

0:55

I will call this meeting the order.

0:59

Uh praise and recognition.

1:02

Um I've got to admit that when I booked my carbagast here, uh I had forgotten that Monday was a holiday and he couldn't make it tonight.

1:13

He's coming at a later date in March.

1:17

Um, but I want to start off again with the employees of the city of St.

1:25

Albans.

1:26

I don't want to leave anybody out, but specifically uh the uh street crews and MUC guys that were uh fixing leaks when it windshield was below zero.

1:45

Uh they don't complain, they don't gripe.

1:49

I they just go out and they do their job and they did a fantastic job.

1:53

So that's I wanted to recognize him and praise them for that.

1:57

Other crates of recognition.

1:59

Yes, sir.

2:00

I'm gonna read a message that we have a uh it might be a little choppy because I gotta leave stuff out.

2:06

Uh but we uh were contacted by uh paramedic with Canal County and there was uh we had a single vehicle crash near Hudson and McCorporal Avenue.

2:14

That was a female that was unresponsive.

2:17

Uh they said all other agencies had cleared except two of our officers.

2:21

Um the patient woke up compete uh confused and somewhat combative.

2:26

Both officers jumped in without hesitation to ask what we needed.

2:29

Both uh let's see, one of them uh stayed in the back and then one of them drove the ambulance to General.

2:38

The patient ended up having a stroke, and uh because our officer helped and got and uh drove the ambulance, they said that the lady should have a full recovery, but she wanted to let us know how instrumental they were in the patient's care and outcome, and it's a lot of times we never know the outcomes, and I thought they might need a positive outcome for the day.

2:58

Very good, excellent.

2:59

Well, and the bus they made on Hansford Street was fantastic.

3:04

Those guys will be in jail for a period of time.

3:07

I hope.

3:07

Do we have the names of those officers?

3:09

Uh Beckner and Sanders.

3:12

Sanders is actually on FTO right now, so good start to a career.

3:16

Yeah, very good start.

3:20

Uh I I just keep wondering how do they end up in St.

3:26

Albans, West Virginia, like those guys on Hansford Street.

3:29

I'm like, how do you why do you end up in St.

3:32

Albans?

3:34

Yeah, well, that uh there's a lot more free food up in Charleston there is here.

3:39

And I want to say our guys I got on a pretty quick, they've only been here about a week.

3:43

Yeah.

3:44

Or less than good, good, excellent.

3:47

Any other praise and recognition?

3:52

All right, uh approval minutes from City Council, February 2nd, 2026.

3:57

So moved.

3:59

Questions, discussion of changes.

4:03

All in favor say aye.

4:06

Aye.

4:06

Opposed, nay.

4:08

Motion carries.

4:09

I apologize.

4:10

My voice is starting to get a little gruff.

4:14

So uh no old business, new business resolution regarding rates, fees, and charges for parks and recreation facilities, rental of former McKinley Middle School property.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation████████████████████████████████████████████44%
Procedural█████████████████████████████29%
Public Safety███████7%
Budget Equity Analysis███████7%
Technology and Innovation██████6%
Cannabis Regulation████4%
Public Health███3%
Summary of Proceedings

St. Albans City Council Meeting - February 18, 2026

The St. Albans City Council met on February 18, 2026, to discuss and approve resolutions for the rental of the former McKinley Middle School gymnasium, pass an ordinance regarding fire marshal authority, and recognize city employees and police officers for their service.

Praise & Recognition

  • The Mayor praised city street crews and MUC workers for fixing leaks in subzero weather without complaint.
  • A Kanawha County paramedic commended Officers Beckner and Sanders for assisting in transporting a stroke patient, leading to a full recovery. Both officers were recognized for their quick action.

Discussion Items

Resolution on Parks and Recreation Fees for McKinley Middle School

  • Councilman Ruther proposed an amendment to the rate structure, introducing per-hour, 4-hour, 8-hour, and 12-hour rates with discounted rates for St. Albans nonprofits. Monthly rates for 32 hours over 28 days were also included.
  • The rates were developed with Parks Director Kevin Pennington. The Mayor expressed support, noting prior communication with local schools and leagues who expected $25/hour but now receive $20/hour.
  • Discussion included staffing: the Superintendent will determine if additional employees are needed for events, charged at $25/hour. Concerns were raised about eventually needing a full-time employee due to increasing usage.
  • The resolution as amended passed unanimously.

Ordinance Amending Fire Marshal Enforcement Authority

  • Second reading of an ordinance adding municipal fire marshal authority to Article 953.22. A council member clarified social media misconceptions, stating it does not grant unlimited authority but clarifies language requested by the fire department. Passed unanimously.

Finance Committee Report

  • Approval of payment of current invoices totaling $10,198.03 passed unanimously.

Appointments

  • Aaron McNeil of 829 Shrewsbury Drive was appointed to the Parks Committee for a term expiring June 30, 2029.

Announcements and Reports

  • Recreation events: St. Patrick's Day Party on March 13, Glow Dance Party on March 27, both at McKinley (7-8:30 PM). The Valentine Party had 67 kids.
  • Dementia Friendly St. Albans events: Dementia Friendly Day weekend, and a "No Hush" movie screening of "Viva Las Vegas" at the Alban Theater on February 22 at 2 PM.
  • Upcoming committee meetings scheduled.

Key Outcomes

  • Resolution on rates for McKinley gymnasium adopted with amended fee structure.
  • Ordinance on fire marshal authority passed on second reading.
  • Invoices approved.
  • Appointment confirmed.
  • Meeting adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

Uh if you bow your hands, I'll leave lead us in invitation. Dear heavenly most gracious and glorious father, we thank you for this opportunity to come together to make our community a better place. We ask for a hedge of uh blessing and protection over our first responders. I uh protect them as they're out there doing their duties. Uh and Lord, me personally, I want to be say thank you to for the employees that we have in the city of St. Albans. They do a fantastic job. All right, and I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. All right, uh, Terry, lead us in the pledge, please. Let's do the way of the United States of America. And to the republic for which it stands. Liberty and justice are all. I will call this meeting the order. Uh praise and recognition. Um I've got to admit that when I booked my carbagast here, uh I had forgotten that Monday was a holiday and he couldn't make it tonight. He's coming at a later date in March. Um, but I want to start off again with the employees of the city of St. Albans. I don't want to leave anybody out, but specifically uh the uh street crews and MUC guys that were uh fixing leaks when it windshield was below zero. Uh they don't complain, they don't gripe. I they just go out and they do their job and they did a fantastic job. So that's I wanted to recognize him and praise them for that. Other crates of recognition. Yes, sir. I'm gonna read a message that we have a uh it might be a little choppy because I gotta leave stuff out. Uh but we uh were contacted by uh paramedic with Canal County and there was uh we had a single vehicle crash near Hudson and McCorporal Avenue. That was a female that was unresponsive. Uh they said all other agencies had cleared except two of our officers. Um the patient woke up compete uh confused and somewhat combative. Both officers jumped in without hesitation to ask what we needed. Both uh let's see, one of them uh stayed in the back and then one of them drove the ambulance to General. The patient ended up having a stroke, and uh because our officer helped and got and uh drove the ambulance, they said that the lady should have a full recovery, but she wanted to let us know how instrumental they were in the patient's care and outcome, and it's a lot of times we never know the outcomes, and I thought they might need a positive outcome for the day. Very good, excellent. Well, and the bus they made on Hansford Street was fantastic. Those guys will be in jail for a period of time. I hope. Do we have the names of those officers? Uh Beckner and Sanders. Sanders is actually on FTO right now, so good start to a career. Yeah, very good start. Uh I I just keep wondering how do they end up in St. Albans, West Virginia, like those guys on Hansford Street. I'm like, how do you why do you end up in St. Albans? Yeah, well, that uh there's a lot more free food up in Charleston there is here. And I want to say our guys I got on a pretty quick, they've only been here about a week. Yeah. Or less than good, good, excellent. Any other praise and recognition?

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