OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Wheeling City Council Meeting – October 7, 2025: Bond Hearings, Proclamations, and Ordinances

City Council — Tuesday, October 7, 2025
BodyWheeling, West Virginia
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 7, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 37:58

Transcript — Verbatim
1:08

And it's all just at one time.

1:11

I don't have to do it.

1:14

Right.

2:35

Fell in.

3:28

Please rise.

3:39

Respecting each other's perspectives.

3:42

Driving for fairness.

3:45

Understanding as we make all residents.

3:49

Let us pray for our city to have compassion and unity for all well-being.

4:24

Mayor McGrath?

4:25

Here.

4:25

Mr.

4:25

Palmer?

4:26

Here.

4:26

Mr.

4:27

Seitzer.

4:27

Mr.

4:28

Squabnockers?

4:29

Here.

4:29

Mr.

4:29

Thorngate.

4:32

Thank you.

4:38

So moved.

4:39

Second.

4:42

If not all those in favor, single bobby say aye.

4:45

And all those opposed.

4:46

And that motion's approved.

5:02

I would uh exit the rainboard of business to conduct public hearings on the fall of bond water is in it, for example.

5:13

Water rates, the sewer rates pending the back article 1915.

5:21

I'm second.

5:23

Is there any discussion?

5:24

If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

5:27

Aye.

5:28

Those opposed.

5:29

At this point, we'll exit the regular order of business and we'll enter into public hearings.

5:33

We do have five separate hearings that we're going to run concurrently.

5:36

That first hearing was the bond water and sewer uh sanitary sewer system improvements.

5:41

And we do have uh one person signed up to speak for that.

5:45

Karen Curry.

5:47

Is Karen here?

5:48

Karen, I would ask you please to step to the podium, tell us your name and address, and you'll have three minutes to speak, Karen.

6:37

Do you respond to that, please?

6:48

Are you finished?

6:59

So the uh the list of projects um for the uh water uh side of the bond issue are the Mozart and Clearview uh booster station water main uh repairs, um, and that's uh three million two hundred and twenty-six million two hundred and twenty-six dollars.

7:16

Atlas, uh this again water, Atlas Carmel, Grandview, Mogleby, Leewood, Hogarun water main improvements, six million three hundred and twenty-three thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight dollars.

7:27

The Boggs Hill Booster Station, water main improvements, seven million three hundred and forty-six thousand four hundred and seventy-two dollars, and the water uh treatment plant sludge dewatering is three million three hundred and thirty-three thousand six hundred and eighty-six dollars.

7:43

So that's on the water side.

7:45

The sewer or wastewater projects, uh, the wastewater treatment facility improvements, uh which you which you refer to, um $30,600,000.

7:55

Uh Warwood uh area info infiltration and inflow reduction, $600 six million five hundred thousand dollars.

8:03

That's the uh number one uh project within the uh collection system.

8:07

It's a large collector uh that runs from Warwood to uh Northwind then ultimately to the plant and has a very serious problem of infill and infiltration coming from groundwater into the sewer pipe, which has created additional flow that is then necessary to be treated.

8:23

Um Mount Deshaunal Dorman Road area uh storm sewer improvements one million seven hundred thousand GCMP phase two sewer improvements, which is a sanitary sewer rehabilitation is one million dollars.

8:36

The civic center siphon replacement project is uh three point eight million dollars, and that's uh there's a siphon uh which is a pipe that goes at a certain elevation, goes under the creek and comes up at the same elevation, it's pressurized.

8:52

So it the elevation on the other side of the creek is slightly lower than the elevation on the upstream side of the creek, so it creates uh the gravity, but it's pressurized.

9:02

We've had leaks in that line um throughout the past uh four or five years.

9:07

Uh and once there's a leak in that line, uh it depressurizes and it also takes in river water.

9:12

So that's an important uh uh component uh of the system.

9:16

And then Dimmy Dale Oak Mont uh uh sewer separation improvements, two million three hundred thousand for a total of forty-five million nine hundred thousand.

9:25

The water uh total is twenty million two hundred and thirty thousand.

9:32

Thank you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████████████████████39%
Water And Wastewater Management████████████████████████████████32%
Public Safety█████████████████17%
Disability Rights████████████12%
Summary of Proceedings

Wheeling City Council Meeting – October 7, 2025

The Wheeling City Council held its regular meeting on October 7, 2025, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included five public hearings related to bond financing for water and sewer system improvements, rate increases, and other municipal matters. Council approved a series of ordinances and resolutions, issued proclamations for Fire Prevention Week and National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and received reports from the mayor, city manager, and council members.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of the minutes from the Traffic Commission (August 14, 2025) and the Historic Landmark Commission (August 7, 2025) — motion carried unanimously.
  • Acceptance of the Finance Committee report from September 16, 2025.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Karen Curry (address given, name on record) spoke during the public hearing on the combined waterworks and sewer system improvement bonds. She outlined specific projects and their costs: water side projects totaling $20,230,000 (including Mozart/Clearview booster station repairs, Atlas Carmel improvements, Boggs Hill booster station, and sludge dewatering) and sewer/wastewater projects totaling $45,900,000 (including wastewater treatment facility improvements at $30,600,000, Warwood infiltration/inflow reduction, storm sewer improvements, GCMP phase II, civic center siphon replacement, and Dimmy Dale Oak Mont sewer separation). Curry’s testimony was factual; she expressed no explicit position.
  • No other members of the public signed up to speak on the remaining four hearings (water rates, sewer rates, municipal court, Southwest Energy).
  • Mayor Glenn McGrath (after hearings) expressed personal reluctance to raise rates 38% but emphasized the necessity for infrastructure needs. He provided statewide statistics: Wheeling is currently 31st lowest among 329 water utilities in West Virginia; after the increase, it will move to 81st (24th percentile). For sewer, among 310 agencies, Wheeling is 67th (21st percentile); after the increase, it will be 160th (51st percentile). He noted the city's due diligence compared to surrounding communities experiencing serious problems.
  • Near the end of the meeting, Carly DiPmar was recognized to speak but the transcript cuts off before her remarks.

Discussion Items

  • Public Hearings (5 total): Conducted concurrently. Council voted unanimously to exit regular order for hearings and later to return to regular session.
  • Mayor’s Report: Mayor McGrath read two proclamations:
    • Fire Prevention Week (October 5–11, 2025) — theme: “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.” Recognized fire department efforts.
    • National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October 2025) — noted employment disparities: 71% employment rate for people without disabilities vs. 28% for people with disabilities and 19% for those with cognitive disabilities. Acknowledged Augusta Levy Behavioral Services and their partnership with WV Division of Rehabilitation Services.
  • Unfinished Business (9 ordinances): Each was introduced, seconded, and voted on with no discussion. Approved unanimously:
    1. Ordinance authorizing payment of Series 2025 notes and issuance of up to $80 million in combined waterworks and sewer system improvement revenue bonds (Series 2025 tax-exempt).
    2. Ordinance authorizing $18,080 for temporary frack tanks (water pollution control).
    3. Ordinance authorizing $330,000 for engineering services (Mozart/Clearview Booster Stations).
    4. Ordinance authorizing $433,000 for engineering services (water treatment plant sludge dewatering).
    5. Ordinance authorizing $762,000 for engineering services (Atlas Carmel water main improvements).
    6. Ordinance authorizing $32,114 for primary gate cylinders (water pollution control).
    7. Ordinance authorizing $35,362.50 for rebuilding secondary gates (water pollution control).
    8. Ordinance adding Article 191.11 (Contempt of Court).
    9. Ordinance authorizing $27,000 for centrifuge rental/services (water pollution control).
  • New Ordinances (Introduction):
    • Ordinance authorizing up to $12 million in Ogleview Park Improvement Revenue Bonds (Series 2025) — readings 2–10 consolidated and passed unanimously.
    • Ordinance authorizing CDBG 2025 public service agreements: Catholic Charities ($10,000 for food), Family Services ($20,000 food), House of the Carpenter ($10,000 supplies), Seeing Hands ($4,600 supplies), Soup Kitchen ($10,000 food), YMCA ($5,000 scholarships), Wheeling Health Right ($25,000 pharmaceuticals/supplies), Marcel Nesmet ($25,000 for tubs/showers in group homes).
    • Resolutions for downtown façade improvement grants: Maggie Turrak ($3,982), Friends of Wheeling (two properties: $5,461.05 and $1,645.13), Wheeling National Heritage ($9,300), Todd & Mary Miller ($712.62), Mills Group ($15,000), Michael Runkel ($15,000). All approved.
  • City Manager’s Report: James Heron announced that due to the billing improvement project, city council meetings will relocate to the second-floor courtroom for an estimated 3–5 months. The finance and water/sewer accounting departments will move to the former police department area. He also noted that the bond ordinance and sewer rate increase will allow the wastewater treatment plant digester cleaning to begin in November, addressing recent odor issues. Additionally, about $4–5 million in FEMA-funded flood repairs (from the 2024 flood) will supplement the $30 million bond project.
  • Council Member Remarks:
    • Councilor Torne: Requested leaf pickup in Woods Dale and Dimity areas.
    • Councilor Homer: Announced official opening of pickleball courts at Patterson Park, with final touches pending weather.
    • Councilor Sarah: Reminded of Ward 1 crime watch meeting (Thursday at Ward Christian Church, 7 PM) and Road Pride’s annual trunk retreat (Sunday, 2–5 PM).
  • Reports: Historic Landmark Commission minutes from September 4, 2025, held over.

Key Outcomes

  • All five public hearings were closed with no additional public testimony beyond Karen Curry’s.
  • All nine ordinances under unfinished business were adopted unanimously.
  • The ordinance consolidating readings for the Ogleview Park bonds was approved.
  • The CDBG service agreements and façade improvement grants were approved through consolidated resolutions.
  • Council will relocate meeting space for the next several months beginning in October 2025.
  • The digester cleaning at the wastewater treatment plant is set to begin in November 2025.
  • Proclamations for Fire Prevention Week and National Disability Employment Awareness Month were officially declared.

Meeting Transcript

And it's all just at one time. I don't have to do it. Right. Fell in. Please rise. Respecting each other's perspectives. Driving for fairness. Understanding as we make all residents. Let us pray for our city to have compassion and unity for all well-being. Mayor McGrath? Here. Mr. Palmer? Here. Mr. Seitzer. Mr. Squabnockers? Here. Mr. Thorngate. Thank you. So moved. Second. If not all those in favor, single bobby say aye. And all those opposed. And that motion's approved. I would uh exit the rainboard of business to conduct public hearings on the fall of bond water is in it, for example. Water rates, the sewer rates pending the back article 1915. I'm second. Is there any discussion? If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed. At this point, we'll exit the regular order of business and we'll enter into public hearings. We do have five separate hearings that we're going to run concurrently. That first hearing was the bond water and sewer uh sanitary sewer system improvements. And we do have uh one person signed up to speak for that. Karen Curry. Is Karen here? Karen, I would ask you please to step to the podium, tell us your name and address, and you'll have three minutes to speak, Karen. Do you respond to that, please? Are you finished? So the uh the list of projects um for the uh water uh side of the bond issue are the Mozart and Clearview uh booster station water main uh repairs, um, and that's uh three million two hundred and twenty-six million two hundred and twenty-six dollars. Atlas, uh this again water, Atlas Carmel, Grandview, Mogleby, Leewood, Hogarun water main improvements, six million three hundred and twenty-three thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight dollars. The Boggs Hill Booster Station, water main improvements, seven million three hundred and forty-six thousand four hundred and seventy-two dollars, and the water uh treatment plant sludge dewatering is three million three hundred and thirty-three thousand six hundred and eighty-six dollars. So that's on the water side. The sewer or wastewater projects, uh, the wastewater treatment facility improvements, uh which you which you refer to, um $30,600,000. Uh Warwood uh area info infiltration and inflow reduction, $600 six million five hundred thousand dollars. That's the uh number one uh project within the uh collection system.

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