Medical waste plant discussed in Follansbee

FOLLANSBEE -- Plans for a medical waste recycling plant, the possible addition of solar powered street lights were among matters before Follansbee Council on Monday.

Mayor David Velegol said there appeared to be an overall positive response by public officials and others who on Wednesday toured riverfront property being developed by Empire Diversified Energy as an intermodal port.

But he said some public concerns have been raised by the company's plans to build a medical waste recycling plant, which he said are the result of a misunderstanding about the proposed facility's operation.

"It's not incineration. It's a closed system that doesn't produce emissions," said Velegol, adding it will generate electricity for the port or others.

Contacted for comment, Scotty Ewusiak, president of Empire Diversified Energy, also said the operation won't involve incineration but said there are plans to release more information he hopes will help those with concerns to be more comfortable with it.

Follansbee Council recently approved a building permit for construction, at the site of the former Koppers plant, of a 3,000 square foot facility designed to use a process called pyrolysis to convert the waste into energy.

Permits for such facilities are issued through the state Department of Health and Human Resources' Infectious Medical Waste Program.

Donna Gorbey-Michael, an official with the program, said no application has been submitted for a facility in Follansbee but if one is, there will be a period for public comment.

In other business, City Manager Jack McIntosh answered questions about a solar powered street light recently installed outside the City Building at the corner of Main and Penn streets.

McIntosh said the light is being tried to determine if other solar powered street lights may be used to replace 72 along Main Street from Allegheny Street to Duquesne Street.

Told the light has seemed dimmer at times, McIntosh said the intensity of the light can be adjusted and he has lowered it from 100 percent to 30 percent, which seemed appropriate. But he added the light is equipped with a motion sensor that can allow its brightness to increase when someone or something approaches.

The city manager said up to four days of solar power can be stored in its battery to accommodate for overcast days.

McIntosh said the light also differs from the city's existing street lights in that it is aimed below instead of outward.

He added installation of conduit for the lights is expected to be less costly.

In an effort to address a number of street lights that aren't functioning, council had approved the replacement of street lights with conventional ones from Allegheny Street to Ohio Street.

City officials had hoped to dig trenches along Main to replace the old wiring and patch those areas of the street, which is part of state Route 2.

But officials with the state Division of Highways said the city must repave the entire section of roadway, leading city officials to mull the removal and replacement of sidewalks beneath the old street lights.

Mayor David Velegol Jr. noted about $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds awarded to the city has been allocated for the streetlights, which also will be equipped with Internet boosters.

But he said the city is pursuing grant money to replace the sidewalks.

Also on Monday:

≤ McIntosh advised the city's water rates may need to be raised $5 or $6 per 1,000 gallons to offset the loss of about $400,000 in revenue from the closing of the Mountain State Carbon plant, which had been a major customer.

He added state regulations require the wastewater department to allot 12.5 percent of its budget to a working capital fund, while Velegol noted the city's water meters are due for replacement.

Velegol said the city was fortunate that U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., was able to allocate $10.2 million for upgrades to the city's wastewater treatment system.

The windfall is expected to make it unnecessary for the city to raise its sewer rates.

≤ Velegol announced Wild and Wonderful Wednesdays will return to the Ray Stoaks Plaza on May 4.

Held at noon each Wednesday last summer, the events include food trucks and live music.

The mayor said there are plans each week to include two food trucks: one offering a variety of food that will appear every week and a variety of "second" trucks.

He added he hopes to announce a contributor to the Ray Stoaks Plaza expansion project within the next two weeks.

≤ McIntosh opened two bids for billing software for the City Building. To be reviewed later by the city manager, the apparent bids are: $145,400 from Software Solutions of Dayton, Ohio, and $125,507 from Mountaineer Computer Systems of Lewisburg, W.Va.

≤ City Clerk David Kurcina asked when signs prohibiting semi tractor trailers in residential areas of the 3rd and 4th Wards will be posted, adding he requested them in October.

The proposed signs were spurred by complaints of large trucks inadvertently entering neighborhoods.

City Police Chief Larry Rea said the signs and others providing direction to the trucks' drivers have been discussed jointly, but the "No Semis" signs can go up in the near future.

Council's next regular meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday.