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WHEELING -- City council will hold its regular bimonthly meeting tonight online, a format that has been used for months in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet leaders are hopeful that in-person meetings soon will be possible.
Today's meeting of Wheeling City Council is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. and can be viewed via livestream on the city's official Facebook page.
Council meetings have taken place virtually since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last spring.
On a couple of occasions last year as the number of local COVID-19 cases began to trend downward, the city returned to in-person meetings, only to go back to virtual meetings soon after the number of cases began to rise again locally.
COVID-19 cases have been trending downward in the Northern Panhandle as well as the rest of West Virginia. Some COVID-related restrictions in the Ohio Valley have begun to loosen, and the topic of in-person meetings has resurfaced.
"We have certainly considered resuming in-person meetings at some point in the near future," Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott said. "With the COVID-19 numbers down and vaccination numbers up, we will take a look at resuming in-person meetings in March and April."
City officials noted that safety will be considered above all as these future discussions take place.
"For the sake of safety, I believe we should remain remote for as long as small gatherings are discouraged by the CDC and local health officials," Councilwoman Rosemary Ketchum said. "While I completely understand and empathize with the desire to return to normalcy, I also believe we should do everything we can to reduce potential transmission."
As cases continue to decline and vaccinations become more and more available, Ketchum said she will reconsider a return to safe in-person business.
Even when meetings return to an in-person setting, Vice Mayor Chad Thalman would like to continue live streaming them if possible. A silver lining to the unusual situation is that the meetings — through the use of modern technology — have become more accessible, especially those who aren't physically able to attend.
Three new pieces of legislation are slated to be introduced during tonight's city council meeting.
One proposes vacating a portion of Lane 25 from the west side of Jacob Street to the east side of Lane E of the Sprigg Addition in South Wheeling. The abandonment would help accommodate full use of vacant property for the planned development by the Woda Cooper Companies of a new four-story, 39-unit senior living complex in the 3700 block of Jacob Street called Carnegie Greene at 37th.
Another designates BB&T, United Bank, Community Bank, WesBanco, J.P. Morgan Chase and Company, and Main Street Bank as banks to be utilized as city depositories for depositing public money during the calendar year 2021.
Another would authorize the city manager to spend $48,164 with Ace Truck Equipment of Zanesville for a knuckle boom crane to be installed on a water department truck. Ace Truck Equipment was the low bidder for the purchase, which is being paid through the city's vehicle replacement fund. J&J Truck Equipment submitted a bid of $59,890 for the purchase, and Altec Industries submitted a bid of $62,290.
Several pieces of legislation are scheduled for final readings during tonight's council meeting, including an ordinance creating a highly anticipated COVID-19 Small Retail Business B&O Tax Credit.
Anyone wishing to address council with public comment during tonight's meeting can call the city clerk at 304-551-2151 at any time up until 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the meeting to receive instructions on how to participate.