LEWISBURG W.Va. (WVDN) – The Lewisburg City Council held a regular session on Aug. 15 at the usual location beside City Hall; however, the agenda was shortened because of an ongoing emergency in the center of town at Bella’s Corner Gourmet.
A few hours earlier, a tractor-trailer truck had collided with the retail store on the corner of Route 60 and headed up Route 219 N. The vehicle was not removed until structural engineers inspected and made decisions about the building’s soundness. After the City Council meeting was adjourned, the mayor and council members went to the site and witnessed the trailer’s extraction with the help of a tow truck.
In the abbreviated meeting, the Council went into executive session and returned to make a motion to join a PFAS class action settlement. Earlier this year, a $10 billion settlement with 3M was reached on their liability for “forever chemicals” found in the environment and public water sources in Washington state. West Virginia has not had any cases decided in court at this time. The city of Martinsburg has proceeded with a case against 3M, and drinking water is the basis of their pollution claims.
Per and Poly – fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been found in fish tissue and human breast milk, as well as public water from utilities across the nation. As the cases come to court, the 3M company says it will “defend itself in court and through negotiated resolutions.” Firefighting foams are one product that has carried these PFAS into the environment.
In other Council business, the start date for new water plant operator Aaron Brown with his Class III certification is Sept. 12. The Council also chose to contract Gary Mark Layman to continue with the plant in a separate contract for a year. This has been done in the past when the city has had a new employee being trained under the guidance of the individual they are replacing.
Two requests from the Arts and Humanities Grant were approved as $2,725 to Carnegie Hall for TOOT artist fees in Kids’ Corner and West Virginia Jazz Orchestra Labor Day Concert for $700.
The water system report and update were tabled until the September Council meeting so that engineer Greg Belcher could be present to speak to the Council. Invoices totaling $1,561,498.64 were presented and approved for payment. All were paid with USDA funds.
The council also approved $8,925 to Thrasher for foundation blueprints on the fire station.
Public Works building/construction invoices totaling $231,621.75 were approved and funded by a bond issued by the City of Lewisburg Building Commission.
The mayor wished to declare Aug. 6-12 as National Farmers Market Week and congratulated the Lewisburg Courthouse Farmers Market for the $300,000 generated in the local economy, 90% of which stays within Greenbrier County.
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