WEIRTON – Weirton Council took another step to increase its Municipal Service Fee in an effort to reopen the County Road Fire Station and expand the staffing of the Weirton Fire Department, although a third reading will be needed after an amendment was made to the ordinance Monday night.

During its Monday meeting held in the Weirton Room of the Millsop Community Center, council approved by a 6-1 vote, what was originally set as the second reading of Ordinance 2272, aimed at increasing the Municipal Service Fee from its current assessment of $2 per week from each individual working within the city limits to $5 per week.

Prior to that, an amendment offered by Ward 1 Councilman Tim Connell was approved unanimously to make sure language was included to prevent an individual from being assessed the fee more than once in the event they have multiple jobs in Weirton.

“If someone has more than one job in the city, notify one of their employers the money is being taken out for this ordinance so you won’t pay twice,” Connell said.

The Weirton Municipal Service Fee was enacted in March 2004 during the administration of former mayor William Miller through the passage of Ordinance 1417. The original purpose of the fee, as declared by officials at the time, was to provide additional funding toward the paving of city streets. However, the ordinance notes it can be used for “public works, street department functions, street maintenance, capital projects, and public health and safety.”

Ward 6 Councilman Anthony Rocchio was the lone dissenting vote on the amended ordinance.

Through the reopening of the County Road Station, the Weirton Fire Department would establish a third district to cover the areas of Weircrest, Harris Hills, Kings Creek Bowl, Owings Addition, Terrace Heights, portions of Weir Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue up to North 15th Street, as well as providing fire protection for Form Energy, Bidell Gas Compression and much of the Cleveland Cliffs and Frontier Group properties.

Mayor Dean Harris wanted to make city residents understand that such an idea has been proposed for many years.

“Form Energy did not request the reopening of the station,” Harris said, responding to various comments made on social media concerning the proposal.

While it was set to be the second and final reading of the ordinance, since it was amended, another reading will be required in order for the ordinance to go into effect, which officials reported will take place at council’s April meeting.

“This goes back to the first reading as it was amended,” City Clerk Kimberly Long explained following Monday’s vote.

City Attorney Vince Gurrera also noted a typographical error in the ordinance, which gave the incorrect date for the original Ordinance 1417.

“It should say 2004, not 2024,” Gurrera said.

Prior to Monday’s meeting, council heard from several residents and business representatives, with most speaking against the increase in fee.

JoEllen Lashhorn, who lives within the area set to be served by the County Road Station, said she doesn’t feel there currently is a need for the station.

“It appears this is more of a want situation and not a need situation,” she said, suggesting the city should focus, instead, on potholes, blight and improvements to the water system.

Dezso Polgar suggested the city use its Rainy Day fund, currently estimated at $6 million, to assist in hiring the six new firefighters planned as part of the strategy to reopen the station, instead of increasing fees.

City fire officials have estimated it would take an additional $600,000 per year to support the new firefighters, while Polgar said he thought it could be between $800,000 and $1 million. The increased fee has the potential to raise an additional $1.4 million based on current revenue.

“We need to find another way for this,” Polgar said.

Robert Harris expressed concern about people being assessed the fee more than once, noting he and his wife each work two jobs.

“We can’t afford $80 a month,” he said. “You’re sending the wrong message to the citizens.”

Meanwhile, Brenda Mull, president of the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce, while expressing understanding for the amount of work currently being undertaken by the city, voiced concern for the effects of the fee on the business community.

“We have a lot of small businesses here and a lot of part-time people,” she said.

Resident Anthony Rossi, though, expressed support for the firefighters, pointing to investments made for emergency services in Wheeling and Charleston, and noting the potential for improvements to insurance rates in Weirton through improvements to the city’s fire service.

“I don’t know where else you’re going to get the money,” he said, also encouraging the city to make certain there is an accurate accounting of where the funds go.

Outside of Connell proposing Monday’s amendment, the only member of council to offer any public comments on the matter was Ward 4 Councilman Rick Stead.

“It’s a question of safety,” Stead said, noting national safety recommendations suggest 15 fire personnel respond to a call while Weirton typically has no more than nine.

He pointed to several of the firefighters standing in the back of the room, and said the planned growth is as much for their safety and the safety of residents, and that he feels the increase of the fee by $3 per week is a small price to pay.

“If you want to look at these gentlemen in back and tell them their safety isn’t worth 43 cents a day, you might want to reconsider,” Stead said.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)