The clerk to call the roll.

Mr.

Asaro.

Here.

Ms.

King.

Here.

Mayor McGruder.

Here.

Mr.

Palmer.

Here.

Mr.

Siler.

Mr.

Sklavanakis.

Here.

And Mr.

Thorngate.

Here.

Quorum is present.

Thank you.

We do have the December 2nd, 2025 minutes in front of us.

Is there a motion to re uh accept those as received?

So moved.

Second.

Are there any changes?

Discussion.

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

Aye.

And those opposed.

And those minutes are approved as received.

At this point, we have a scheduled public hearing.

Is there a motion to exit the regular order of business, please?

I will make that motion.

Second.

Hearing none, I'd ask all those in favor to signify by saying aye.

Those opposed.

And we are now in the public hearing session.

We have no one actually signed up to speak, but I'm going to ask the city manager, please, to make a few remarks.

Thank you, Mayor.

This public hearing is a proposal to take funds that uh have been left over for projects from the last three years in C E V G funds that were under budget or uh maybe not completed or not undertaken money that is left over and consolidate that into one project, and it'll be in excess of 300,000 to mill and fill um in East Wheeling uh 12th Street from Jacob up the hill towards Grandview and then Grandview Street all the way across the top of the ridge over to Stone Boulevard.

Uh that road is in very bad uh condition.

It's a lone modern income uh benefited uh project and this is a great opportunity to consolidate funds that um you know have not been utilized and put them onto this project, which we hope to uh complete sometime uh in late spring, early summer.

Thank you.

Uh without any other business in the public hearing, is there a motion to return to regular session?

I'll make that motion.

Second.

Any discussion?

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye and those opposed, and we do return to regular session, and it brings us down to the mayor's report.

First item tonight on the mayor's report report.

I'd like to appoint Dr.

John Holloway, who's in the audience tonight, uh, to the Wheeling Hall of Fame Board.

Is there a motion?

I make a motion to appoint uh the appointment of Dr.

John Holloway to the Willing Hall of Fame Board.

I'll segment.

Any discussion?

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

Aye.

Those opposed, and John, congratulations.

Uh we're gonna ask John, maybe number one, to come up and get a quick picture with us, and then if you wouldn't like to make a comment or two, you're welcome to do that.

Okay, so want to jump out here and get a picture with John.

I don't I would have dressed better if I knew it can explain.

I just agree so I said, Makes it.

Thank you.

We'll get you the second.

Congratulations.

Thank you, thank you.

Okay.

And one, two, three.

All right, thank you very much.

Yeah, okay, thank you.

John, is there anything you'd like to say?

Uh please there's a podium over here.

Yes, so they can they do they do stream our meetings and uh okay.

So we're in temporary quarters right now, so I have to say that um benefits after being a position for 40 years in dealing with a lot of older people in my practice.

There had never had a problem people not hearing me, but I developed a deep movement voice through the year.

So uh anyway.

Um, anyway, no, I appreciate that this is an honor and privilege, and and um what the uh hall of fame does is it recognize the incredible work that so many of the people through the generations have made wheeling what it is, and especially on the philanthropy side to um what again that we we are all benefit but by what what they have done.

So I do consider this a great honor and I look forward to to serving.

So thank you very much for the honor.

Thank you.

Thank you, John.

Well uh next on the agenda, we're gonna have uh Claudia Raymer's in the audience here tonight.

Yeah, we'll leave it over there, David.

I think they can hear me.

But we have Claudia Reimer here from the Ohio County Family Resource Network, and she wants us to give us an update on uh how they've utilized the other joint funds that have been uh distributed today.

All true.

Except I got married, so my last name is McKay now, but all true.

So uh good evening, Mayor McGruder, uh, Mr.

Heron and members of City Council.

Thank you for allowing me to speak.

I am the executive director for the Ohio County Family Resource Network.

Uh, we've been around more than 30 years serving children and families in Ohio County.

I requested to speak this evening, not at the request of anyone, but for the sake of transparency.

There's a lot of talk always about opioid money.

We want to maintain transparency.

I want to ensure clarity and how the city's opioid settlement funds were used through our collaborative project and the difference those made funds those the difference those funds made for residents of the city of Wheeling.

When the opioid settlement funds first came available in Wheeling, I spoke several times about the importance of using these dollars to directly help the people and families who have carried the weight of the opioid crisis in West Virginia.

The West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding is clear, these funds exist to repair the harm caused by the epidemic to support individuals, families, and communities still experiencing its effects.

In that spirit, the emergency assistance collaborative proposed using a portion of the City of Wheeling's opioid fund opioid funds to assist city residents impacted by opioid use disorder who were at risk of eviction or utility shutoffs.

Thank you for that opportunity to implement this project and to demonstrate the impact that providing funds to families has not only on those individual households, but on the broader community.

In June 2024, Wheeling City City Council ordered 150,000 to implement that plan through a partnership among Catholic Charities West Virginia, the Ohio County Family Resource Network, Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling, Greater Wheeling Coalition for the Homeless, Lochland Chapel, and Life Hub.

Although the funding was approved by council in June of 2024, those funds began to be received November of 2024.

Applications were accepted and processed between December 9th, 2024 and December 9th, 2025.

So we've just expended the last of those 150,000.

That's why I'm here.

Catholic charities served as the fiscal manager, overseeing payments, documentation, and reporting.

The Ohio County Family Resource Network provided technical support throughout and youth services system with extensive experience in substance use prevention, intervention, provided training related to SPERT, which is an evidence-based model of screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment.

Although the full collaborative didn't meet monthly, Catholic charities and the family resource network remained in close and consistent communication to verify eligibility, troubleshoot issues, and monitor progress.

Each application was carefully reviewed and cross-checked in a shared spreadsheet to ensure no household received assistance more than once for the life of the project.

All households were served were confirmed to be within the city limits of Wheeling.

During the application period, a total of 257 households had applications processed.

Of the, and I do have this, these numbers I have a hand over here.

So $81,824.69 cents went to rental assistance, while $38,175.31 cents went to utility assistance.

And as proposed, 30,000 supported fiscal management, administration, and reporting.

Applications were processed as follows.

Catholic charities, 198 applications.

Ohio County Family Resource Network, 33 applications, soup kitchen, 16 applications, homeless coalition, nine applications, and Life Hub, one application.

The larger number of applications processed by Catholic charities reflects that some partner agencies did not submit their request directly, and Catholic charities stepped in to ensure eligible wheeling households could still access the assistance.

Across the 257 households served, the project reached 581 wheeling residents, including 240 children, 324 adults, and 17 seniors.

This assistance helped keep families housed and utilities connected, preventing homelessness and increasing overall family stability.

Behind every number is a real household, a real person.

One family sought help with a utility bill utility bill for the first time in their lives.

Years of supporting their son through opioid addiction and treatment had placed significant financial strain on the household.

Utility assistant provided immediate relief and allowed the family to remain stable while continuing to support his recovery.

In another case, a father completing inpatient treatment faced imminent homelessness, putting both his recovery and his family reunification at risk.

Opioid settlement funds were used to pay a security deposit, allowing him to secure housing, continue outpatient treatment, and reunite safely with his children.

He remains housed and engaged in his recovery today.

These outcomes align precisely with Schedule B of the West Virginia First MOU, which calls for funding to support housing assistance, wraparound services, and community-based stabilization for individuals and families impacted by opioid use disorder.

I'm not here to ask for anything tonight.

Although we'd love to do the project again.

Wheeling's opioid settlement funds were used to support the people and families who bore the greatest burden of this epidemic.

This project worked because local organizations shared a common goal, helping Wheeling residents regain stability and move forward.

And that's thanks to the funding awarded by Wheeling City Council.

On behalf of all the organizations involved, thank you for trusting community-based organizations to carry out this work.

Together we turned settlement dollars into meaningful, measurable impact for Leling families.

Thank you for your time and for the opportunity to provide this update in the spirit of transparency and true partnership.

Claudia, thank you for the report.

You're welcome.

Are there any questions that anybody has?

Any questions?

Yeah, thank you so much for thank you.

And for your work.

Thank you.

Yeah, I get you to bring that mic back.

And then my folks.

Thank you, my friend.

As we finish up the mayor's report here, this is our last meeting before Christmas.

So we'd like to take this opportunity to uh certainly wish fellow counselors, city manager and staff a very healthy and happy Christmas.

And on behalf of the entire council, to all those folks out there, uh a very merry and happy Christmas from us uh to you and hopefully a very good Christmas.

So that concludes my report.

Um we have the clerk's report.

There is a notice of application to operate a private club, View 42 located at 2247 Market Street, and there's another application to operate a private club, Venusian Group LLC doing business as Esoterica located at 2153 Main Street, and that concludes the clerk's report.

Thank you.

Uh unfinished business.

An ordinance of the council of the city of Wheeling, creating a no parking zone on Delaware Street near intersection with South York Street.

Hearing none, I usually ask you to record your vote at this time, but since we're in temporary quarters and we've had some difficulty with that, I'm gonna ask ask the clerk to please do a roll call for roll call vote.

Mr.

Osara?

Aye, Miss Kane?

Aye, Mayor McGruder?

Aye, Mr.

Palmer, aye, Mr.

Thorngate, Mr.

Siler, or Mr.

Skalonakis, excuse me.

Uh that motion is approved.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds an amount of 21,440 dollars with LaRoach Tree Service Inc.

of Belair, Ohio for tree trimming and removal services at Heritage Port to be charged to Arena RCIP.

I'll motion to adopt the ordinance.

Second, is there any discussion?

Again, hearing none, I would ask the clerk to do a roll call vote.

Mr.

Asaro.

Aye.

Ms.

Kane.

Aye.

Mayor McGruder.

Aye.

Mr.

Palmer.

Aye.

Mr.

Sklavonakis.

Aye.

Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

And uh that motion is approved.

And that concludes unfinished business.

Thank you.

Uh at this point we have remarks from uh from members of the city council.

I would ask Councillor Palmer, please to be down the remarks on that.

I'll piggyback on yours.

Happy holidays to everybody going forward and look forward to uh getting the ground running in a new year.

Also like to shout out to our sanitation crew who had to work on Monday in the terrible weather, our operations crews who kept the streets safe and naturally our safety crews who are always going above and beyond for us.

So we really appreciate them and everything that they did.

Also, Mr.

Michael Borseek's in the audience today, and I hope I'd like to point out that Michael wrote a college paper that included uh social media about uh social media and governor government.

And I had a privilege of reading the paper, and I want to say how well it was done and took a lot of information from it, Michael.

So if uh you can share it to other members if they ask for it, please do.

Thank you very much.

That's all I have.

Congratulations.

Counselor Sorrow.

Um I just want to reiterate what uh Dave said about the city workers, they did an outstanding job Monday throughout this form.

Uh Councilor Silver is not here tonight, but I I wanted to let people know that uh he has two daughters that are involved in the school play tonight.

And so uh he his priorities are stacked in the right direction.

So counselor King.

Um first of all, um did the um Operation Toy Lip in St.

Clairsville last weekend, and it was a success as it always is.

Um, and I challenged the other council members next year.

Been there doesn't I know, but I wasn't on council there.

But anyway, um, but a lot of people came out.

It was not too bad the weather.

Um, and also one thing I do want to address.

Um we as city council members have a tough, tough job up here, and sometimes we have to make um decisions that doesn't make everyone happy.

And to see the hatred on social media the last two weeks, um, broke my heart because we are human beings, we live in our wards.

We try to do the best that we can, and if we're gonna represent willing, we need to be together, not separated.

And if you're not gonna come to the table and work with us, then don't be a problem.

And also, so many people from different states, New York, Michigan, everywhere, um, had comments to say.

Um, and the reaction if you didn't agree with certain people, was just horrendous.

We can do better.

This is the city of willing, and we cannot agree on everything and do what everyone wants because other than that, nothing will get done.

We are going in a good direction, and we are here to fight for our residents.

And I hope in 2026, we have peace and joy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Vice Mayor, thank you, Mayor.

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, happy new year.

And I also would like to remind people if you get the opportunity to spend any of your money of the businesses over on Washington Avenue, please do so.

Uh the Washington Avenue Bridge is going to be closed for 10 months, maybe.

And I know a lot of those residents over there are businesses, uh, need our help and need our support, just like the downtown businesses doing the streetscape.

So, whatever you can do to spend some time and money at Washington Avenue would be greatly uh appreciated.

We'll see you all in 2026.

Thank you.

Councilor Thorngate.

Yeah, the same Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a little bit of uh housekeeping, but I want to you know promote the uh Wheeling Park hockey team uh over Christmas break, they're gonna hold their first ever uh hockey camp of uh Wheeling Park Ice Ring, December 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 9 a.m.

to 1150 a.m.

50 bucks a kid.

All proceeds go to benefit the Wheeling Park High School hockey team.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh that takes us down to before the committees.

We have none tonight.

Uh report of city manager, Mr.

Heron.

Thank you, Mayor.

I have a couple of uh requests uh for uh two readings uh this evening.

Um the first one being um uh on the original propositions item number five, which is cybersecurity uh software subscriptions to be spread over the general fund, water and water pollution control.

Um those are hardware improvements that are required.

Uh there's going to be a price increase in potential um uh supply chain issues with the with that purchase.

So I would respectfully request the city council consider two readings on item number five uh this evening.

I will say that items number four and five, we do anticipate will be reimbursed by a state cybersecurity grant that uh we've been tentatively approved for.

They just haven't rolled out the funds yet, but we do anticipate getting reimbursed for both of those purchases.

But item number five has some urgency to it.

And then also an original proposition is item number six, which is acts on enterprises uh for the police for police equipment.

This is for uh body cams, dash cams, and tasers.

Uh there is going to be a price increase uh on this item on January 1st, and would respectfully request that council consider two readings on that uh ordinance this evening to avoid that uh price increase.

And then uh item number uh nine, which is resolution on consolidated investment fund.

Um, that's a result of the fact that uh the city uh did uh sell uh 61.3 million dollars in water sewer bonds uh about uh a month ago.

Uh that money uh is deposited into a project uh fund, and for the first three years that we have those funds, we are permitted to invest them uh so that uh interest income uh hopefully can offset the interest expense, but any uh income generated uh by those funds during that three-year period can be put back into the water and sewer system for additional projects.

So that resolution authorizes um the use of the uh West Virginia Board of Treasury Investments, which is the uh uh state investment board through the state treasury's office.

Uh we do uh or we do anticipate if council uh approves the resolution of moving some of those funds into an investment account that they manage as well as a uh local bank uh certificate of a deposit, um, both of which uh we anticipate a return, a short-term return of over four percent.

So uh that's uh kind of an explanation of item number four resolution number, I'm sorry, resolution number nine, and would respectfully request council consider approving that decision.

That's my report.

Thank you.

Any questions of the city manager?

Thank you again, Mr.

Henry.

Um, with that, we're gonna be down to uh report of other officers.

We do have traffic commission minutes from November 13, 2025.

Is there a motion?

I'll make that motion.

Second.

Uh any discussion on that?

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

Aye.

Those opposed, and those minutes are uh accepted as received.

Petitions of redress or grievance.

There are none.

Petitions of all their kinds.

There are none.

Original propositions.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 49,999 and 78 cents with Dukes Route Control of Elgin Indiana for the purchase of route control to be charged to water pollution control division, an ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 15,000 with the Esmal Corp of Mogador, Ohio for the rental of skid mounted multi-disk group press system to be charged to water pollution control division, an ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of $81,675.06 cents with Tyler Technologies of Dallas, Texas for the purchase of annual system software maintenance to be charged as follows 20,033 and 66 cents charged to water UAR, 10,929.82 cents to WPCD and 50,711 and 58 cents to the general fund.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 149,042 with GHA Technologies of Phoenix, Arizona for the purchase of cybersecurity enhancements to be charged as follows.

110,348 and 40 cents to the general fund and 24,840 and 33 cents to water and $13,853.26 cents to WPCD.

For a second reading, second.

I do believe it was number five that he was wanting the oh I'm sorry.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of $35,918 and 70 cents with GHA Technologies of Phoenix, Arizona for the purchase of firewall subscriptions to be charged as follows.

25,995 and 47 cents to the general fund, five thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven dollars and fifty-three cents to water, and four thousand eighty-five dollars and seventy-one cents to WPCD.

For a second reading, second.

Is there any discussion?

Hearing none again, I'd ask the clerk to please uh call roll a roll roll call vote.

Oh, I'll do the second reading and then I will call for the bit.

My bag on that one.

Uh yeah, we that was a motion for a second reading.

Uh so we'll have a second reading by the clerk.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of $35,918.70 with GHA Technologies of Phoenix, Arizona for the purchase of firewall subscriptions to be charged as follows.

$25,995 and 47 cents to the general fund, five thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven dollars and fifty-three cents to water, and four thousand eighty-five dollars and seventy-one cents to WPCD.

Second.

Uh we now have a motion second to adopt that ordinance.

Is there any discussion?

Hearing not that ask for the roll call vote.

Mr.

Osara?

Aye.

Ms.

Kane?

Aye.

Mayor McGruder.

Aye.

Mr.

Palmer.

Aye.

Mr.

Slavonakis.

Aye.

Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

And that ordinance is approved.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 197,600 and 12 cents with Axon Enterprise Inc.

of Scottsdale, Arizona for police equipment to be charged as follows.

40,000 to state asset forfeiture, 60,000 to federal asset forfeiture, and 97,000 to city service fee.

I would move for a second read of the ordinance.

Second.

Okay.

Is there any discussion on the on the reading of the second ordinance?

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

Aye.

Those opposed, and we will have a second reading on that ordinance.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 197,600 and 12 cents with Axon Enterprise Inc.

of Scottsdale Arizona for police equipment to be charged as follows.

40,000 to state asset forfeiture, 60,000 of federal asset forfeiture, and 97,000 to city service fee.

Is there any discussion?

Once again, hearing none, I'd ask the clerk to do a roll call.

Mr.

Osario.

Aye.

Ms.

King.

Aye.

Mayor McGruder.

Aye.

Mr.

Palmer.

Aye.

Mr.

Sklavanakis.

Aye.

Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

Ordinance is approved.

A resolution of the Council of the City of Wheeling, State of West Virginia accepting a contract for a Section 108 loan guarantee for the Ohio Valley Food and Innovation Hub and authorizing the city manager of the city to execute the note and all other documents with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in the name of the City of Wheeling, West Virginia.

I make a motion to adopt the resolution.

I'll second.

Is there any discussion or questions?

Yes.

Are we on a hook for any of this loan?

If the follow up yes, so um the the city has done uh two section 108 loans uh in the past.

Uh the most recent one was for the Lowe's project, and it's a it's a grant to the project.

Um the repayment of the loan is through our annual allocation.

Uh for example, the uh uh allocation to council approved in the fall includes I believe a $335,000 payment for that.

Any additional discussion?

If not, then I'd ask the clerk to do a roll call vote.

Mr.

Asaro.

Aye, Miss Kane, aye, Mayor Magruder, aye, Mr.

Palmer, aye, Mr.

Sklavonakis, aye, Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

Resolution is approved.

A resolution approving the city manager to authorize a change in the funding source for the Greenwood Storm Sewer Improvements so that such project costs will be charged to 2021 A bonds.

Move for adoption of the resolution.

Second.

Any questions or discussion?

If not, I ask the clerk, please again to do uh a voice vote.

Mr.

Osaro?

Aye.

Ms.

Kane?

Aye.

Mayor Magruder.

Aye.

Mr.

Palmer?

Aye.

Mr.

Sklavonakis?

Aye.

Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

Resolution approved.

A resolution authorizing investment in consolidated fund spending units and political subdivisions of the state of West Virginia to participate and invest in the consolidated fund, which is administered and managed by the Board of Treasury Investments and used to purchase securities and other investor investments authorized by law.

Move for adoption of the resolution.

Second.

Again, is there any questions or discussion?

Hearing none again, I'd ask for a roll call vote, please.

Mr.

Asaro?

Aye.

Ms.

Kane?

Aye.

Mayor Magruder?

Aye.

Mr.

Palmer?

Aye.

Mr.

Slavonakis?

Aye.

And Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

And that resolution is approved.

That concludes original propositions.

Okay, that brings us down to the final item on our agenda tonight.

Those wishing to be heard.

We do have one person signed up.

Uh John Hallboard.

John's here.

John, I'd ask you please to approach the podium here.