Audio and video difficulties caused live streaming issues for the town of Rainelle on Monday, Oct. 11, as they attempted to make the council meeting available on Facebook. Unfortunately, only a 27-minute portion of the end of the meeting was successfully streamed.
During that portion of the meeting, Zac Wright, with Thrasher Engineering, told council of a new program that might help the town “condemn properties that have old structures that need to be torn down or are becoming a nuisance.”
Wright said that he is aware of the vacant structures throughout the town and that they are becoming a problem due to drug activity and squatters.
“I know that has been a problem in Rainelle that’s caused some concern with the citizens,” Wright stated.
He added that the program can provide money upfront to allow for asbestos studies and provides a plan on how to tear down a structure in a way that is safe for both the environment and for residents. The program also provides assistance in rewriting an ordinance that would help the town place a lien on any condemned property.
“The devil’s in all the details,” Wright said. But he believes the program is worthy of being looked into. He said that while he is not an expert on the new program, he believes the council should hold a special workshop meeting to discuss the plan in detail with those who can provide more information.
Mayor Robin Williams said that she would make the council aware of the meeting when the date is set.
In other business, former Rainelle Mayor Andrea Pendleton was in attendance to speak on funding from the Dr. D.K. Cales Foundation for the Main Street light project.
Pendleton said that she had applied for funding from the Cales Foundation through the Rainelle Community Development Corporation for completion of the Main Street light project while she was still in office.
The foundation provided $21,156 for seven lamp posts and other costs associated with the beautification of Rainelle, Pendleton explained.
Funding for the sidewalk project came from a grant that is part of the West Virginia Department of Highways, but the town had to put some money forward to back up the project. While some lamp posts have been placed, the original scope of the project was to have them continue on to Seventh Street.
At one point, Pendleton asked the council and mayor if they were still interested in the money since she was under the impression that they no longer wanted it.
Williams responded that there was a misunderstanding and that she appreciates everything that Pendleton did for the town during her administration. They also expressed their appreciation of the Cales Foundation.
Williams noted that the sidewalk project is in phase two of construction and that the current administration will continue to look into ways to improve Rainelle.
Following the meeting, Williams told The West Virginia Daily News that she is working on resolving the internet issues at town hall, so the Facebook stream will be consistent. In the portion of the meeting that was not streamed, she stated that the council agreed to purchase a bucket truck for the town and are waiting to have new police radios programmed.
Council also approved the purchase of a new door locking system to be installed at town hall and at the water department, in addition to approving funds to set a website for the town.
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