Parkersburg City Council approves ordinances for fee discount and extra trash cans
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PARKERSBURG - Parkersburg City Council unanimously passed, on first reading, an increased discount for paying police, fire and sanitation fees in full for the year as well as an ordinance authorizing residences to obtain a second trash cart during Tuesday's regular meeting.
A number of residents and others also spoke on the early fee payments and second trash cart as well as issues they were having with their trash service since the city recently switched over service to Waste Management, as well as issues related to the recent Peoples Cartage warehouse fire, fireworks and problems people say they are having with various city officials.
The ordinances on paying fees early would increase the discount to 5% and give everyone until Aug. 20 to pay it this year, since the ordinance could not receive final approval until July 28 at the earliest. The increased discount would also apply to the city’s new subscription-based recycling program through Rumpke.
Each property owner is required to pay $252 per year. Those who pay the fee by July 20 each year, can get the 5% discount. The second trash cart would cost residents $5 a month, which can be paid for every three months.
Councilman Chris Rexroad asked if there was a way people could pay for half the year and then pay for the other half at the end of the year and still qualify for a discount. He was told the interest collected on the full amount paid helps offset the discount.
The city is operating under a temporary contract with Waste Management while the five-year contract approved by council in January is being challenged.
Some people have curbside exemptions, which require people picking up the trash to come and get the can close to the residence, but that wasn't being done for some residents.
Mayor Tom Joyce said it is a matter of the drivers learning where those exemptions are and planning accordingly, noting the service has already seen improvements since it began. The city has 127 such exemptions for the disabled and elderly.
"They (the drivers) just need to be aware of where they are and make sure they hop out of the truck and get the cans," the mayor said.
Residents stated they have had trouble reaching people associated with trash service, recycling, and city officials who do not return phone messages; or there are delays in getting containers and other issues.
Local residents spoke on a variety of issues, some commending some things council has been involved in and sometimes directing criticisms at council members and city officials directly. Some accused city officials of wrongdoing and disrespecting the people they serve.
Greg Sanders of Brooklyn Ave. credited council for the work being done around the 9/11 Memorial and acknowledged there are people who have a problem with it, but said that is not something people should be upset over.
He talked about the warehouse fire and the need for the community to receive the information about what happened there and how council needed to use its influence to make sure there is an accounting of what happened.
"Don't let this one slip by," he said. "Don't let people shove it to the side or make excuses."
A man whose first name was "Xavior" of Charleston, but who grew up in Parkersburg, alleged the fire was the result of repeated negligence, as the facility had a history of hazardous waste fires and was fined around $46,000.
He said the smoke plume stretched 35 miles of soot across the area including farms and neighborhoods affecting the air everyone breathes.
"It is our community doing the work of demanding accountability and pursuing independent testing," he said adding he urged council to support independent environmental testing and demand full transparency from state and federal agencies and "stand with the residents affected by this disaster."
Councilman Mike Reynolds pointed out the fire did happen outside city limits, but he asked if there was anything council could do to follow up on the issue, and he asked whom they would need to contact.
City Attorney Blaine Myers said the issue has a number of moving parts with state and federal agencies involved. Myers said the response would depend on what council's plan was to address the issue.
"The city would be interested in getting all of the information relevant to the fire," he said.
Resident Julia Monroe of Hemlock Avenue spoke about fireworks being shot off illegally by residents, frightening pets and causing them to flee, as well as others dealing with PTSD for whom the noise causes issues. She wanted an enforceable ordinance, like one in Vienna, that can cut down on said issues. She also suggested utilizing drone shows for the official celebrations in the area that are just as visual without the noise.
Councilwoman Wendy Tuck said she has been contacted by a lot of people who are concerned about the effects of the smoke from the warehouse fire.
"I do hope we do get the information and get that to our firefighters," she said of the materials that were burning in the fire. "I think that is something that we can do.
"I have had people who have had medical issues from the fire and I have asked that they see their doctor."
Council members Dave McCrady and Tuck did not attend in person at Tuesday's meeting, but participated by phone and voted on the measures before council.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com