From left, Vienna City Attorney Russ Skogstad discusses the meeting agenda with Vienna Mayor Chad Emrick before Thursday evening’s meeting of the Vienna City Council. Read more from the meeting online and in the weekend edition of the News and Sentinel. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

VIENNA – The Vienna City Council on Thursday recognized Public Works Director Craig Metz as the city’s Employee of the Quarter, approved continued participation in a regional housing assistance program and heard discussion on potential changes to alcohol ordinances to support downtown revitalization.

Mayor Chad Emrick presented Metz with the award during the start of the meeting, saying his work ethic, responsiveness and leadership has made a meaningful difference for the city.

“Over the course of the last six months, he has very quickly answered all of my requests, answered the requests of citizens and businesses throughout Vienna,” Emrick said.

“There’s going to be some times that we’re going to need a bigger wrench,” he added, before giving Metz a large pipe wrench adorned with a gold star as a symbol of recognition.

Metz accepted the award and credited his team for his success.

City Development Projects Administrator Ryan Fluharty discusses what the budget for housing initiatives is for the fiscal year at Thursday evening’s Vienna City Council meeting. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

“I work with a lot of great people, and they’re the ones that deserve Employee or Department of the Year,” he said. “If it wasn’t for them guys… we wouldn’t get things done like we do.”

Council also unanimously passed a resolution to authorize Vienna’s continued participation in the Parkersburg-Wood County HOME Consortium, a federally funded housing initiative.

Ryan Fluharty, housing coordinator for the City of Parkersburg, outlined the fiscal year 2025 budget of $412,501, which includes allocations for down payment assistance, affordable housing development, and administrative costs.

“We have allocated $40,000 to Habitat for Humanity… $181,000 [for] down payment and closing cost assistance… and $150,000 to a Low Income Housing Tax Credit project,” Fluharty told council.

Councilman Harry Deitzler asked whether federal budget cuts could impact the program, Fluharty responded, “Trump has tried to cut funds in the past and was unsuccessful… There’s no concern right now.”

From left, Vienna public Works Director Craig Metz receives recognition as employee of the quarter from Mayor Chad Emrick at Thursday evening’s Vienna City Council meeting. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Metz also gave an update on street paving and utility work, noting the city plans over $538,000 in asphalt paving.

“There’s no big projects on concrete, a lot of little areas, sections here and there… I call it patchwork,” he said, listing projects on 31st Street, Eighth Avenue, Greenmont Hills Terrace, and others.

He said 31st Street was added after walking the area and seeing it was “a lot worse than I thought it was.”

Emrick commended Metz and his department for quick repair on a water main break.

“The avenue looked like you could put a boat down it, there was so much water,” he said. “City crews responded… and within a two-hour time period had the water shut off, had the repair done, and had water back on.”

During closing comments, Councilman Tony Morrison revisited a previous public concern about allowing alcoholic beverages at events held on Spencer’s Landing and proposed expanding Vienna’s alcohol regulations in a limited way to encourage new business.

“I think events like the Taste of Parkersburg would be a great addition… Those events are ticketed and they are private,” Morrison said. “We’ve got a couple vacant buildings that are ready to be rented right there in Old Town Vienna… I think some nice restaurants there would do well. I don’t want to see these places stay open till two o’clock in the morning… but if you shut them down [at] 10 p.m. or something, if we adjust the ordinance to include some restrictions, I think it’s something that would benefit our city.”

The Vienna Planning Commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday to consider updates to the city’s comprehensive plan.

“There’ll be some discussion and some votes on maybe some edits or changes… I don’t think we’re going to have any big changes,” said Councilwoman Tami Rhodes.

Council also entered an executive session to discuss real estate and personnel matters. No decisions were made.

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