Police staffing, warehouse traffic before Follansbee Council
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FOLLANSBEE -- Follansbee Council Monday learned members of the city's police department hope to negotiate collectively for a contract and heard plans to address truck traffic to and from two warehouses being built on former Follansbee Steel property.
City Police Capt. Rick Reinard presented to council a letter expressing the city's police officers' wish to enter into negotiations for a two-year contract involving representatives of Fraternal Police Lodge 84 and the city manager's office.
Reinard said wages, hours, vacation time and sick leave are among many aspects he and the other officers would like to address.
Earlier in the meeting, Reinard asked council to consider hiring three officers, which would bring the department's number to eight and allow two officers to be scheduled for each shift.
He said he's concerned about being short-staffed when he or another officer is called from the city to assist another local law enforcement agency.
City Manager Joseph DiBartolomeo said Follansbee residents pay taxes that support the Brooke County Sheriff's Department and West Virginia State Police so those agencies should serve the city also.
Council also heard from resident Johnny Varlas, who complained he's seen a city officer spending much of his night shifts at the fire station and told council he has time-stamped photos supporting that.
Varlas said it's unfair to citizens at a time when residents of the Neville Street area have complained of vehicles being broken into and needles believed to have been used for illegal drug use have been found in the street.
"All that I ask, do your job. That's what you're being paid to do," said Varlas.
City Police Chief Larry Rea didn't attend the meeting but said earlier his department has been investigating the thefts and drug activity.
On Monday, Reinard told Varlas a citizen may file a complaint about any officer and it will be investigated.
Council also heard from Farley Wood, an engineer with Empire Diversified Energy, who told council the company has secured permission from Norfolk Southern Railway and awaits an easement from Wheeling-Nippon Steel needed for trucks to transport materials to two, 250,000-square-foot warehouses being built on former Follansbee Steel property at the city's south end.
Wood said the warehouses will be used to store noncombustible material such as silica and garnet abrasives and steel coils, pipe and cables and isn't required to be fitted with a sprinkler system unless their purpose changed.
He said an average of five trucks were expected to travel the road each day though on two or three days, there could be 20 or 25 transporting materials unloaded from barges at the Ohio River port run by the company.
City officials and residents had expressed concerns about the large trucks leaving the warehouse property by Duquesne Street or State Street.
They noted truck drivers often have veered over curbs while attempting to navigate the narrow side streets leading from state Route 2.
Wood said until the easement is secured and improvements are made to River Alley, the company hopes to use State Street, employing flaggers to direct the large trucks onto Route 2.
He said if the easement isn't secured, the plan is to widen Duquesne to accommodate the trucks.
DiBartolomeo said the trucks' drivers "need to know it's not a speedway."
Wood said that would be stressed to them, adding, "If there are problems, we'll address them."
In related business, DiBartolomeo said representatives of Gumby's Cigarette and Beer World are closing the purchase of the former Tire America lot near Brooke Plaza and have submitted plans for the new store that he and city personnel will review before making a recommendation to council.
In other business:
• DiBartolomeo told council that it has a right, under state law and the city's charter, to information he has requested from City Fire Chief Larry Rea regarding the city's fire department.
The city manager said he's asked for the number of firefighters in the volunteer department, their training and ages, the rules and regulations for the department and emergency preparedness plans, among other things.
At an earlier meeting, Rea said he's submitted such information to the state fire marshal's office and to council in the past.
DiBartolomeo said he asked for it after Rea told those attending a Dec, 14 public meeting on a proposed medical waste treatment plant the city's fire department is prepared to handle emergencies arising from it.
Empire Diversified Energy has announced since then it will build instead a plastics recycling plant using the same process known as pyrolysis.
On Monday, the city manager told council the city would be held liable for failures by its fire department.
"You, the city council, are responsible for that fire department. If something happens, it's all on you."
• Mayor David Velegol Jr. asked council to consider prohibiting residents of Highland Hills from parking vehicles in areas other than their driveway or the space in front of their homes even when those are available to them.
He said an ordinance addressing the issue may be considered by council at next Monday's regular meeting at 6 p.m. at the City Building.
• Bill Secrist, the city's recently appointed public works director, introduced Mike Varlas and Joe Buono, current city employees he intends to recommend for foremen positions involving oversight of certain city operations.
The recommendation is expected to come before council next week.
• Councilman at large John Casinelli and 5th Ward Councilwoman Wendy DeAngelis said some residents have complained they have received late payment notices for their water or sewer before their monthly bills.
City Office Manager Mike Casini advised the city has hired a private entity to send its billings but wants to avoid such instances.
Casini said, following the meeting, that residents have 10 days following such notices to make their payments before their service is shut off.
He noted the bills are due on the 20th of each month and customers may call (304) 527-1330 for their balance and can leave their payments in a drop box available throughout the day at the City Building.
Casini said customers also have various online and electronic options for paying their bills, including the receipt of e-bills or automatic withdrawals.