LEWISBURG (WVDN) – The Lewisburg City Council met on Tuesday, Sept. 20, to conduct their regular business and appreciated the attendance of over 40 interested citizens in the council chambers. The audience was there in response to the recent closure announcement of a portion of the Greenbrier River Trail. Before their comments could be made, council conducted its agenda of city business.
Ordinance 306 regarding the language of the Nuisance Ordinance, with more precise descriptions of what constitutes a noise nuisance was read for a second time, the audience was invited to comment as a public hearing. There were no comments, and the ordinance was passed. The same was the case for Ordinance 308 about a tap rate increase; Resolution 498 regarding hazard mitigation, and Resolution 499 about invoices related to the water system improvements.
Ordinance 308, Tap Increase, involves the charges for new connections to city water. A 5/8-inch tap will be $1,100; 1 inch is $1,300; 1.5 inch is $2,600; and 2 inch is $3,100. New connections of 2 inches, and connections for fire service, will be based upon the actual costs of making such connections.
City manager Misty Hill explained that the increase is due to a materials cost increase for the piping and meters at new businesses and residences.
Ordinance 309 received its first reading amending Ordinance 509.99 and 509.01 involving the penalties listed under Disorderly Conduct and Noise Control. Exemptions are also listed which include general noise and construction noise between certain hours, special events, and more. The second reading, public hearing, and council vote on the ordinance will take place at the October City council meeting.
The Annual Report from the Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau, on the agenda for the evening, was postponed until the October meeting.
In financial matters, there was a request from the finance committee to consider the bond sale for the new Public Works Building be handled by Truist Bank as 20-year bonds, at a 3.75% rate, that can be called in as few as 10 years without penalty.
A special session of the Lewisburg City Council will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. to further act on this.
A highlight of the regular meeting was a reading by councilmember Sarah Elkins of the speech she had given previously on Labor Day during a gathering in the city green space. Her personal take on the experience of women in the workplace was central to the speech, but she also was quite inclusive, admitting that not all women have the same experiences, yet all share some lifestyle changes following the women’s liberation efforts to place women equal to men in matters of providing for their families.
Following the regular session of the council, the public was invited to take the podium and speak about the issues that motivated their attendance. All community members were there to express concerns about the partial closure of the Greenbrier River Trail near the southern, Caldwell trailhead as part of the upcoming municipal water project construction.
The exchange between the speakers and the council members lasted about 45 minutes, and answers to some of the questions were given. In essence, the Greenbrier River Trail will be closed for 15 months, at least, on the first five-mile stretch beginning in Caldwell. The Harper Road trail access point will be the terminus in the meantime and will gain about 15 parking spaces to accommodate trail users. The section of the trail undergoing construction is planned to be reopened by February 2024.
A more detailed article regarding this meeting and The Greenbrier River Trail was published in The West Virginia Daily News on Friday, Sept. 23, and can be accessed on our website at https://wvdn.com/44537/
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