Moundsville City Council members unanimously approved the proposed 2025-26 General Fund Budget of approximately $19.3 million and the Coal Severance Tax Budget of $38,338 during Thursday’s meeting.

West Virginia State Auditor Mark Hunt prescribed and furnished the city’s General Fund and Coal Severance Tax Budgets.

Significant contributors to the city’s General Fund revenues included $2.75 million from the Business and Occupation Tax, $2.3 million from the Sales Tax and approximately $1.07 million from Property Taxes.

Other contributors included approximately $1.4 million from Refuse Collection, $548,000 from Fire Protection Fees and $540,150 from Municipal Service Fees.

Expenditures for the proposed 2025-26 General Fund Budget for city departments included Capital Works receiving $5.3 million, with this funding allocated to General Government projects.

Public Safety received approximately $4.2 million. Approximately $2.7 million was allocated to the Moundsville Police Department, and $927,303 was allocated to the Fire Department.

Street & Transportation received approximately $3.3 million. Approximately $2.4 million was allocated to Streets and Highways and $750,000 was allocated to Street Construction.

General Government received approximately $3.3 million, with approximately $1.6 million allocated to City Hall and $445,351 allocated to Building Inspection. Health & Sanitation received approximately $1.7 million, with approximately $1.6 million allocated to the Garbage Department.

Culture & Recreation received approximately $1.4 million, with $575,496 allocated to Parks & Recreation and $510,533 allocated to Swimming Pools.

A Public Hearing on the 2025-26 General Fund Budget was held at the meeting. No members of the public spoke during the hearing.

Council member Randy Chamberlain thanked those who participated in the Moundsville Retention & Recruitment Committee meetings, as the committee gathered information to help City Manager Rick Healy and Finance Director Karen Ankrom prepare the budget.

“We had a lot of good comments and a lot of good participation,” Chamberlain said.

In other motions, council members unanimously voted to direct City Attorney Thomas White to draft an ordinance adopting the 2024 Comprehensive Plan. Mayor David Wood noted that a meeting would be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, for council members to give feedback on the plan.

Healy informed council members that White would draft the ordinance, but council would “hold off” on voting to approve the plan so changes made to the plan during the April 2 meeting could be included in the plan.

“We’re going to go ahead and vote tonight to have him [White] draft an ordinance, but we won’t put it back on the agenda until after they have that [April 2 meeting],” Healy said.

Council members unanimously approved White to draft an ordinance establishing a Land Reuse Agency in the city.

Following the approval, Vice Mayor Sara Wood-Shaw said she thought the council had already voted to do this. Healy responded that they had discussed the Land Reuse Agency ordinance during Policy Subcommittee meetings but had not yet directed White to draft an ordinance for the agency during a council meeting.

Healy noted that the city has been “moving forward” with the land reuse agency. Building Inspectors Administrative Tech Danielle Harmon was appointed Development Director of the agency.

After the Land Reuse Agency ordinance is drafted and approved by council, Healy said they would begin to appoint a Land Reuse Agency Board. At their first meeting, the board will draft and adopt bylaws and file state paperwork required for the agency.