Work crews blocking Caldwell Drive were a main focus for White Sulphur Springs City Council on Monday, Aug. 10.
Heather Williams lives on Caldwell Drive, near the Schoolhouse Hotel project. The drive is a dead end, and Williams expressed frustration with crews blocking the street.
“We’re not maintaining proper access or proper safety to those homes,” Williams said. “There’s six homes up there, five of which have people in there. Part of the reason we choose that street is that it’s a quiet little spot but we’re right here in town. I feel like on any given day, if my house were to catch on fire, the fire department couldn’t get that truck up to my house. It’s a safety issue. … When you have a bad day at work, we’ve all had that, and you’re so many feet from your house and they’re looking at you like ‘what’s your problem, go around.’ Go around where? You’ve completely blocked off the street, which is now Schoolhouse Way.”
Williams also explained the project is not the first to give her problems on Caldwell Drive.
“I’m not targeting the construction, it’s just coming to a head with the construction,” said Williams. “This has been going on since I moved up there seven years ago. It’s more than that. Before the civic center was up there and people would have church and would park straight in front of the road like it wasn’t a road. … I live on a dead-end street. I don’t think I’m asking too much as a White Sulphur Springs citizen to get to and from my home.”
Mayor Bruce Bowling said he watched the street over the past week, after a phone call with Williams, and Monday was the only day there was any blockage.
“If we catch them, we’re going to shut them down,” Police Chief Scotty Teubert elaborated. “Today they were up there welding and I shut them down. We will continue to do that. … I absolutely see your point. But in my mind, I’m thinking they’re going to be there until December, we’ve got to come up with a reasonable plan. You all are going to be aggravated by traffic until then, but I will do my best, I promise.”
Teubert noted he would be speaking with the leadership of the Schoolhouse Hotel project, keeping the contractors out of the way. This includes Wells Friedman, project manager for the Schoolhouse Hotel.
“We are a part of this community and we will do all we can to not block access in the future,” Friedman told The West Virginia Daily News. “Please have patience and work with us. We apologize for causing any inconvenience.”
White Sulphur Springs City Council, with the new fire engine visible in the window. |
In other business:
– Water infrastructure work on Church Street and Big Draft Road has met two different fates, explained Ed Robinson of E.L Robinson Engineering. On Church Street, work is progressing well “around the turn,” but the contractor for Big Draft Road is currently unable to get the necessary materials. Robinson said, “this is not the only project that has fallen to this fate, there are many across the state.”
– The July Volunteer Fire Department report notes there were three motor vehicle accidents with no injury, four automatic fire alarms, three motor vehicle accidents with injury, three helicopter landing zones, two motor vehicle fires, one service call, one electric line down, one illegal burn, one hazmat incident, and one camper fire. In addition, Fire Chief Brian Doolin highlighted the department’s new fire engine, visible just outside the window.
– The July Police Department report notes there were 68 calls for service, including 14 written citations, 17 total charges, eight drug charges, five written warnings, 15 total arrests, four traffic crashes, three funeral details, four domestic calls, and 18 building checks.
– A franchise agreement between the city and Suddenlink was tabled to be considered next month.
– Councilmember Mark Gillespie noted White Sulphur Springs would have more of a presence in the upcoming Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau guide, marketed primarily as a place for outdoor adventures. He said, “they’re really supporting us.”
– Author’s note – Friedman is a relative of the writer.
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