PARKERSBURG — Parkersburg City Council will vote on the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the sale of the Memorial Bridge to a private entity Tuesday.

Council will also consider the 2021-22 Community Development Block Grant and Parkersburg-Wood County HOME Consortium budgets at the 7:30 p.m. meeting, with a public hearing on plans for the federal funds slated for 6:30 p.m.

Documents for the proposal by United Bridge Partners to purchase and upgrade the Memorial Bridge through an estimated $50 million rehabilitation project were released last week, and company representatives made a presentation to council members during an April 29 Committee of the Whole meeting.

If the offer is approved by council, UBP would pay the city $4 million, relinquish any claim on approximately $15 million the city has allocated to the structure and own and operate the toll bridge. During the rehabilitation process, expected to last until October 2023, tolls would not be increased and toll collectors will continue to be employed by the city.

Once the rehabilitation project — including complete replacement of the deck surface, structural and cosmetic upgrades to all concrete and steel components and new lighting — is complete, tolls will be collected electronically, without vehicles having to stop.

The sale and subsequent toll rates will not be subject to approval by the West Virginia Public Service Commission, as previously reported. That was based on the proposal submitted to council before the state Legislature passed legislation to facilitate the sale.

It included a provision stating the PSC only has authority over privately owned toll bridges located more than 5 miles from a free bridge crossing the same body of water. Due to the proximity of the Belpre Bridge, the Memorial Bridge would not fall into that category.

The $897,015 CDBG budget includes $278,548 to pay on the loan for improvements to Point Park, $135,000 for the Community Oriented Police Enforcement Program, $100,000 for a Market Street streetscape enhancement project, $86,546 to upgrade and replace street lights on Market from Ninth to 19th streets and $52,756 toward the loan for construction of the new Fire Station 2 at 16th and Covert streets.

The city administers the HOME Consortium for the county, Vienna and Williamstown. This year’s budget includes $325,911for the Affordable Housing Leverage Program, which would provide low- or zero-interest loans to owners of residential rental properties for repairs.

A public hearing on the budgets is slated for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the executive conference room on the second floor of the Municipal Building.

“It’s to receive comments from the community,” Development Director Ryan Barber said.

Tuesday’s council agenda also includes revisions to previous CDBG budgets to move funds left over from completed projects or projects that did not materialize to the Downtown Facade Loan Program, which has three applications for a combined $60,000 pending approval. Another revision would allocate $100,000 to assist with an $8 million project to build a 34-unit apartment building at 800 Camden Ave. for seniors earning at or below 60 percent of the area’s median income.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

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Meeting Notes

* 6:30 p.m.: Public hearing on the proposed 2020-21 Community Development Block Grant and Parkersburg-Wood County HOME Consortium budgets, executive conference room, second floor, Municipal Building.

* 7:30 p.m.: City Council, council chambers.