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WHEELING - Officials in Wheeling are preparing to move forward to a fifth round of demolitions as part of an unprecedented - and ongoing - $1 million effort to tear down dilapidated structures throughout the city.
Originally, city leaders had intended to split the $1 million demolition budget into four separate contracts in order to expedite the process of razing and removing those neglected houses. Because of competitive bidding, the city continued putting demo lists out to bid with funds left over from the original pool of money.
The fifth contract will result in the demolition of several additional dilapidated houses, including those at 310 N. Huron St., 1211 Lind St., 4326 Water St., 4335 Jacob St., 64-37th St., 3730 Jacob St., 3842 Eoff St. and 2625 Eoff St.
Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron said that because of the wide range of prices in the several bids the city received on the fifth demolition contract, there will likely be a sixth demo contract put out to bid before the $1 million pool of money is finally tapped out.
"I’m happy to report that we received six bids, but three of those were particularly competitive," Herron told members of council in April. "There will be a contract six of demolition. So we’re very pleased about that."
Aster Oilfield Service Inc. of Bellaire - which has been awarded a number of the other demolition contracts this past year for the city - submitted the low bid of $60,000 for the latest job. By comparison, the other bids received for the contract ranged from $85,400 from Brothers and Friends Contracting and $94,500 from Edgco Inc. to $150,000 from Raze International Inc. and $229,600 from Reclaim Co. LLC.
A new ordinance is scheduled to be introduced before Wheeling City Council tonight to authorize the city manager to spend $60,000 with Aster Oilfield Services for asbestos abatement and demolition for the list of structures on contract five. The ordinance is expected to have a second reading and a final vote for approval on May 16.
The abatement and demolition work is being charged to the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.
An ordinance for a separate demolition contract using ARPA funds is also set to be introduced during tonight’s city council meeting. Legislation authorizing the expenditure of $38,000 with Doty Salvage of Moundsville is slated for a first reading on the asbestos abatement and demolition of a large building in South Wheeling at 4414 Wood St.
Tonight’s Wheeling City Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers on the first floor of the City-County Building on Chapline Street downtown.
Also on tonight’s agenda, another tweak to the city’s codes is set for consideration regarding council’s effort to tighten language in ordinances regarding cruelty to animals and barking dogs. A proposed amendment to the code regarding disturbance of the peace adds language addressing the "frequent or long-continued noise" of any dept animal that disturbs the "comfort and repose of any person in the vicinity." The new language states that "particularly, but not limited to between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., a dog cannot bark for more than 15 consecutive minutes, and between the hours of 10:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m., a dog cannot bark for more than 10 consecutive minutes during any given 24-hour period."
A contract for grass-cutting service from April to September for several cemeteries, the Wheeling Island Marina, the Fitzsimmons Family Dog Park at Tunnel Green and the 16th Street (Elks) Playground is up for consideration. The city proposed to pay Top Notch Landscaping $8,795 on a bi-weekly basis during these months for cutting grass at these locations.
An ordinance is being introduced tonight to spend $405,600 with O’Brien’s Rent All and Sales Inc. of Wheeling for a storm sewer reconstruction project on 23rd Street, with the cost being charged to the city’s Water Pollution Control Bond Fund. By comparison of bids, James White Construction Company submitted a bid of $436,150 for the work, while Edgco Inc. submitted a bid of $450,800 and Ohio-West Virginia Excavating submitted a bid for $625,450.
Another new ordinance up for a first reading proposes the expenditure of $1.759,745 with Ohio Valley Industrial and Business Development for improvements to the Stone Center. The cost of these upgrades will be charged to the city’s 2022 Tax Increment Financing District Bond and TIF Excess.
Prior to tonight’s first regular city council meeting for the month of May, the Development Committee of Council is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. in council chambers to discuss a proposed Revolving Loan Sidewalk Program, in addition to any other matters that may be deemed necessary.