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Brooke OKs Par 3 annexation

WELLSBURG — All of Par 3 Drive is within Follansbee following the Brooke County Commission’s approval of the city’s annexation of the remainder of the street, which is on Highland Hills.

The move came following a hearing during the commission’s meeting attended by City Attorney Michael Gaudio and City Manager John DeStefano.

Gaudio said the annexation will add about 25 residents from the street, which the city has been annexing, through minor boundary adjustments, in phases in recent years.

He noted the street is surrounded by other streets in the Highland Hills subdivision that were incorporated into the city in 1975. It once was occupied by a golf course and the office of Mott Contracting, which developed the subdivision.

Gaudio said a small pond at the end of the street and used for drainage is privately owned.

Gaudio said the city has provided water and sewer service, garbage collection, fire protection and through a mutual aid agreement, police protection, to the street. He noted with the annexation, residents there will be able to vote for city officials and seek city offices if they choose.

Gaudio said most open lots on the street have been acquired by residents who used them to supplement their yards. But he said there still is some space available for development, and the city would receive revenue from any new construction as well as a portion of the property tax currently paid by residents to the county.

Gaudio said a majority of residents signed a petition favoring the annexation and no one has spoken against it.

No comment, for or or against the annexation, was shared at the commission meeting.

In other business, Gaudio asked the commission if eight wells under the former Follansbee Steel property recently purchased by the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle could be deeded to the city.

DeStefano said four of the wells are in the city and four are on Hooverson Heights but all are tied to the city’s water treatment systems, which serve the city and Hooverson Heights.

County Commissioner Jim Andreozzi, who represents the commission on the BDC board, said that’s being worked on.

The commission also:

¯ Received a letter from Bill Liposchak of Windsor Heights seeking reappointment to the Brooke County Public Service District board. Recently the commission received a letter of interest in the seat from Richard Krippel of Beech Bottom. The commissioners are expected to fill the seat next week.

¯ Was advised terms will be up soon for three seats on the Brooke Hills Park. The commissioners agreed to accept letters of interest, including from the seats’ present holders, for two weeks, through the office of County Clerk Sylvia Benzo.

¯ Approved year-end bonuses of $500 each for the county’s full-time employees and $250 each for its part-time employees.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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