From left, WVU Parkersburg President Torie Jackson and Wood County Development Authority Executive Director Lindsey Piersol give a presentation on the planned Innovation and Technology Center during Thursday’s Vienna City Council meeting. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

VIENNA – Vienna City Council unanimously approved two ordinances Thursday night, including a right-of-way and easement agreement with the WVU Parkersburg Foundation tied to a new road serving a planned elementary school and campus development.

The first ordinance approved on second reading conveyed a permanent, nonexclusive right-of-way and easement to the WVU Parkersburg Foundation for construction of a road to serve the proposed elementary school and surrounding development.

Council then approved a second ordinance allowing limited internal budget revisions within departments without prior council approval, provided reporting requirements are met.

“This allows the mayor, after consulting with the finance director, to move up to 20% of any single department’s budget without having to come back to council each time,” the ordinance reads.

Before final passage, council unanimously adopted an amendment clarifying language on capital expenditures and limiting where internal transfers can occur.

City Attorney Russ Skogstad explains the legal language surrounding an ordinance concerning budget revisions during Thursday’s Vienna City Council meeting. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

“We wanted to make sure no one could play with the budget by changing line items,” said City Attorney Russ Skogstad. “Categories don’t change — commodities and contract services are clearly defined.”

The amended ordinance then passed unanimously.

Later in the meeting, West Virginia University Parkersburg President Torie Jackson and Wood County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Lindsey Piersol provided an update on the Innovation and Technology Center campus at the former Ohio Valley University and surrounding land development. They said the road project tied to the easement is expected to go out to bid in March.

“Then we’ll be able to start with the next phase, which is construction of that road,” Piersol said.

“The only way we got to where we are now is because of the trust the community has had in us and the partnerships we’ve built,” Jackson said. “The City of Vienna is one of those very important relationships.”

Piersol said the project is addressing multiple community needs, including child care, housing and transportation.

Jackson said the housing concept around the campus could include about 75 single-family homes, with possible multifamily housing under consideration.

“My vision has always been to have different price points,” Jackson said. “We have needs across every price point in this community.”

The presenters also highlighted new academic and workforce programs coming to the Vienna campus, including a two-year cloud computing degree partnership with Amazon Web Services beginning in the fall.

“We’re already expanding curriculum and bringing programs here that connect people directly to in-demand jobs,” Jackson said.

Council also unanimously approved General Fund Internal Budget Revision No. 1 for the Police Department, which officials said was a standard practice and needed after recent retirements in the department increased required contributions.

The council approved a resolution requesting the Thrasher Group to prepare task orders for restroom facilities and a stage at Spencer’s Landing and adopted Acrisure Mid-Atlantic Partners Insurance Services for actuarial services.

Vienna City Council’s next meeting is a special meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19.

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com.