Parkersburg City Council, administration honors World War II veteran
Minimum $20K price set for auction of former landfill
Parkersburg resident Ray Brown, right, leads the Pledge of Allegiance at Tuesday’s Parkersburg City Council meeting. Brown was recognized at the meeting for his service in World War II in both the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Members of Parkersburg City Council and people in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting stand to applaud city resident Ray Brown, second from left, after a proclamation was read in recognition of his service in the U.S. Army in World War II in both the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity. Mayor Tom Joyce, right, proclaimed Brown’s upcoming 100th birthday on Sunday as Ray Brown Day in the city. Standing with Brown are his son, Roger Brown, and daughter, Diane Balderson. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Members of Parkersburg City Council and people in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting stand to applaud city resident Ray Brown, second from left, after a proclamation was read in recognition of his service in the U.S. Army in World War II in both the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity. Mayor Tom Joyce, right, proclaimed Brown’s upcoming 100th birthday on Sunday as Ray Brown Day in the city. Standing with Brown are his son, Roger Brown, and daughter, Diane Balderson. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Parkersburg resident Ray Brown, right, leads the Pledge of Allegiance at Tuesday’s Parkersburg City Council meeting. Brown was recognized at the meeting for his service in World War II in both the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Members of Parkersburg City Council and people in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting stand to applaud city resident Ray Brown, second from left, after a proclamation was read in recognition of his service in the U.S. Army in World War II in both the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity. Mayor Tom Joyce, right, proclaimed Brown’s upcoming 100th birthday on Sunday as Ray Brown Day in the city. Standing with Brown are his son, Roger Brown, and daughter, Diane Balderson. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Members of Parkersburg City Council and people in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting stand to applaud city resident Ray Brown, second from left, after a proclamation was read in recognition of his service in the U.S. Army in World War II in both the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity. Mayor Tom Joyce, right, proclaimed Brown’s upcoming 100th birthday on Sunday as Ray Brown Day in the city. Standing with Brown are his son, Roger Brown, and daughter, Diane Balderson. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
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PARKERSBURG - Officials honored a World War II veteran about to celebrate his 100th birthday at Tuesday's regular Parkersburg City Council meeting.
Mayor Tom Joyce issued a proclamation declaring Sunday as Ray Brown Day in the city.
Brown, a Parkersburg resident who will mark a century of life that day, was joined by several family members as City Clerk Connie Shaffer read the proclamation describing his participation in both the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and Operation Varsity, when more than 21,000 glider infantry and paratroopers landed on the German side of the Rhine River.
Recalling his January 1945 assault with fellow members of the 17th Airborne on the hill that would become known as Dead Man's Ridge, Brown described it as "the coldest day, the hottest day, the shortest day, the longest day" of his life, the proclamation said.
Council President Sharon Kuhl, who grew up across the street from Brown's family, asked the honoree to open the meeting by leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
During the business portion of the meeting, council voted to set a minimum asking price of $20,000 for the auction of an approximately 5-acre property off U.S. 50 used in the 1950s and '60s as a municipal landfill.
"I think we'd be silly not to do that," Councilman Mike Reynolds said after receiving confirmation they could have a reserve price for the online auction.
His motion passed 6-1, with Councilman Ray Eubanks opposed and Councilmen Bob Mercer and Zach Stanley absent.
It was slated to be the final reading of the auction ordinance, but the addition of the reserve price was a significant enough amendment that City Attorney Blaine Myers recommended an additional reading take place at the next council meeting. As a result, the amendment pushed the deadline for bids from Aug. 15 to Aug. 31.
Kuhl said there has been no appraisal done so officials don't have any idea how much the property might be worth. Joyce said he opted not to incur the expense of an appraisal because the property's history as a landfill would likely limit its value.
"I'd rather not sell it than just give it away," Reynolds said, adding that if it doesn't sell, council could look at lowering the minimum price.
Residents continued to weigh in on a $13 million activity and recreation center city officials have proposed building on the site of the pavilion in City Park.
Les Pritchard, who is moving back into Parkersburg from Vienna, said he likes the concept but not the location.
"We are concerned that moving such a large facility into City Park will change the park completely," he said.
Instead, Pritchard said, it should be built closer to restaurants and hotels that might benefit from the activities it would host.
"There's no way to develop any businesses around it," he said.
Former Councilman Jeff Fox said he likes the idea of building the center in the park.
"It is the epicenter for community gathering for events," he said.
Reynolds said he welcomed input from citizens about the activity and recreation center and asked for ideas of other locations.
An allocation of more than $3.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the project will be considered by council's Finance Committee at a 6 p.m. Thursday meeting at the Municipal Building.
Parkersburg resident Steven Mestemacher said he would like the city to use at least some of those funds to support arts and entertainment organizations, which would provide a more immediate return on the investment.
In other business, a resolution passed 7-0 confirming the Parkersburg Utility Board would be reimbursed for any money it spends on an upcoming project to install a granular activated carbon filtration system to remove C8 and related chemicals from its water before the proceeds from a bond funding the work are received.
Bond attorney John Stump and PUB Manager Eric Bennett said the bond will be issued in the city's name but no municipal funds will be expended for the project. The money will come from a principal-forgiveness loan from the state.
Council also unanimously passed a resolution reappointing Greg Herrick to the PUB.