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Earlier Sundays for casinos must wait

FOLLANSBEE — City council members on Monday learned they must take more steps to allow the city’s casinos to open earlier on Sundays.

They also heard announcements from Mayor David Velegol Jr., who said banners honoring the city’s veterans will be unveiled at a ceremony on Monday, and that City Police Chief John Schwertfeger will be retiring next year after 20 years in the position.

City Manager John DeStefano said after consulting the state’s Alcohol Beverage Control Administration, he has been advised council’s unanimous approval of an 11 a.m. opening time for the casinos “was a good first step” in implementing the Brunch Bill approved by the state Legislature in 2016.

The law allows counties or cities to permit businesses to serve alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays, a departure from a long-time state blue law. But DeStefano said ABCA officials told him that in the absence of a countywide vote on the measure, the city must seek approval as a participant in the state’s Home Rule program.

In 2016, Follansbee was accepted into the program, which allows participating cities to adopt measures that veer from state code with the permission of the state board overseeing it.

DeStefano said council will need to hire an attorney to apply for the change and approve two readings of an ordinance and hold a public hearing on it.

The move will be on the agenda for council’s next regular meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 because its usual date falls on Veterans Day.

In other business, Velegol said a ceremony for 68 banners honoring local veterans, living and dead, will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at the Follansbee Community House. Bearing the images of veterans, living and dead, their military branches and years of service, the flags will be flown from street lights and telephone poles along Main Street.

Velegol said the families sponsoring the banners will be on hand and the public is invited to join them.

DeStefano said at least 25 other families of veterans, either current or former Follansbee residents, have expressed interest in sponsoring future banners when those are retired after being displayed for two years.

Velegol said upon their retirement, the banners will be given to the families, who paid $60 to sponsor each of them.

“That includes the banner and cost for shipping and handling. The city receives no money from them,” he said.

DeStefano said the veterans and families are looking forward to having the banners displayed, with one man traveling from California to attend Monday’s ceremony.

“It means a lot to a lot of people,” he said.

Also on Monday:

¯ Schwertfeger announced he won’t seek re-election next spring after serving 10 two-year terms as the city’s police chief. He announced plans to retire following a career in emergency service that also included 34 years as director of the Brooke County Ambulance Service and 40 years as a volunteer firefighter.

DeStefano said a new state law requires future police chiefs to be certified police officers or qualify for certification.

City Attorney Michael Gaudio said if council wishes to change the chief’s position to an appointed office, it will need to alter the city’s charter. But he noted Schwertfeger’s announcement may draw qualified candidates interested in running for police chief.

¯ Plans were made to meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday to interview three engineering firms interested in planning renovations to the city’s fire station. They are Omni and Associates of Fairmont, W.Va., and McKinley and Associates and M&G, both of Wheeling. DeStefano said following the interviews, council will select an engineer with which to negotiate a contract for the project, which may include additional bays for the department’s vehicles as well as the replacement of a deteriorating wall and floor.

¯ DeStefano said he’s obtained quotes for a large, multifeature playset at $24,000, which is a $37,000 discount on its regular price, and for a swing set, $8,000. He was encouraged to investigate payment plans for the equipment. Council has allocated $100,000 for improvements to local parks.

¯ DeStefano said crews will be working to restore lighting to some street lights in the 500 block of Main Street and may relocate a light post near Penn Street that has been struck by multiple vehicles.

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

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