Council OKs Buxton for market study

PARKERSBURG -City council members approved the Buxton Company for a market-research study Tuesday night.

A few weeks ago, the city awarded $50,000 for a study, but hesitated on naming a company. Tuesday, there was still some trepidation as the motion passed by a 6-3 vote.

Council members Sharyn Tallman, Brad Kimes and John Rockhold voted against the motion. Tallman said she was seeking a better cost-saving approach.

"We went through this so quickly. We didn't look at how we could save money," she said.

Rockhold made the motion to postpone the item until the first of the year.

He wanted to meet with local developers for input. The motion received no second and died.

After the meeting, Mayor Bob Newell said officials will meet with local developers to make sure there are no concerns. Newell said some developers were worried that Buxton, which also has a development arm, might get some of the development work.

Newell said Buxton guarantees it will not use the information to bring its own developers into the area. He said that is stipulated in the contract.

Council members unanimously (9-0) approved the annexation of five lots and portions of right of way of Soyer Street and 19th Avenue. The approval was a turnaround from a few weeks ago, when council, by a 5-4 vote, rejected the request.

Tuesday, council members took a softer tone on the issue.

The proposed area is in dire need of street and drainage repair. The street repair alone is estimated at $75,000. The request would bring only a portion of the street's residents.

Council member Nancy Wilcox, whose district includes the area, said the streets and drainage will fall in line with the rest of the district's repairs.

"They want their streets fixed as bad as the rest of the district," she said.

Council member Brad Kimes said his district has similar city resident spots.

"There is no incentive for people to come into the city if we don't encourage it," Kimes said. He thinks if the city fixes sidewalks in front of the resident streets it might encourage non-resident neighbors to seek annexation into the city.

"Hopefully, by the time we get around to fixing the street the (rest) of the people will come into the city," Wilcox said.