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Wharton grants Parkersburg fountain money request

Photo by Evan Bevins Parkersburg Finance Director Eric Jiles, left, and City Attorney Joe Santer listen during a hearing in Wood County Circuit Court Thursday on the city’s petition to use funds originally dedicated to the repair and maintenance of the Jackson Memorial Fountain in City Park to instead replace the structure, which was severely damaged by high winds in October.

PARKERSBURG — A judge on Thursday approved the City of Parkersburg’s petition to use money earmarked to repair the damaged Jackson Memorial Fountain at City Park to instead replace it.

Built in 1906, the fountain was struck by high winds in October, causing the upper bowl to separate from the lower one. The upper bowl, its distinctive “Lady in the Lake” statue and other pieces shattered.

Testifying Thursday before Wood County Circuit Judge Jason Wharton, Parkersburg City Engineer Adam Stout said some portions could be repaired but not the entire structure.

“There would be some repair involved, but most of it would be replacement,” City Attorney Joe Santer said during the hearing.

A fund for repair and maintenance of the fountain was established in 1992 by a bequest from Caroline Downey Jackson, a member of the Jackson family. The fund had nearly $157,000 in cash and stock available as of May 31, but the stipulation that it be used for repair and maintenance prevents the city from accessing those funds to replace the fountain.

“We have a fund that is restricted in such a fashion that it is useless to us,” Santer said.

City officials intend to rebuild the fountain using period-appropriate materials and make it as close to the original structure as possible. That will involve cast iron instead of the fiberglass used to replace the bowls after the fountain was struck by lightning in the early ’90s.

“It lost a lot of its historical integrity at that time,” Stout said.

Earlier this year, City Council allocated $150,000 toward the replacement effort, to go along with $58,830 from an insurance reimbursement for the damage. Santer said the city wants to use all but about $15,000 in the fund toward the project, with the remaining money intended to be put toward repair and maintenance of the fountain in the future.

The total cost to build a replacement fountain and upgrade the infrastructure surrounding it is estimated at about $360,000, Parkersburg Finance Director Eric Jiles said during the hearing.

After testimony from Stout and Jiles, Wharton granted the petition.

“The intent of the trust as established is now impracticable,” he said.

Coolville resident Peggy Jackson, daughter-in-law of Caroline Downey Jackson, attended Thursday’s hearing. Afterward, she said she and other members of the family approved of the outcome.

“I have been in contact with all of the remaining heirs, and they’re all in (agreement on) using the remaining funds to replace,” Jackson said.

Jiles said the project will be bid in two stages — one for the fountain itself and one to reconstruct the basin and infrastructure. He expects both bids to go out this summer.

First, Wharton must sign the order granting the petition, then City Council would need to approve a budget revision to allocate the released funds.

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