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Dilapidated structures and poorly maintained streets and alleys typically top the list of complaints of those who live and work in Wheeling.
It's good to see City Council has a plan to address both issues.
In City Manager Robert Herron's most recent financial report to members of council's finance committee, he noted the city finds itself in a strong financial position in the last quarter of the 2021-22 fiscal year. The city had a cash balance of $2.87 million as of the end of March, up $700,000 from the same period last year.
Those are solid numbers. Based on those projections, finance committee members agreed it is past time to clean up the city's blighted buildings -- there currently are about 100 structures on the raze or repair list -- and allocated $1 million for citywide demolitions, up from the original $500,000.
Another $1.5 million will go toward paving streets with a specific focus on alleys.
The additional demolition funding comes weeks after Councilman Ben Seidler called for the city to step up enforcement of current raze or repair orders after a vacant building on Wheeling Island caught fire. Seidler said allowing such buildings to sit on the raze or repair list ends up putting first responders in danger when such incidents occur.
"We've never done $1 million," Herron said. "This is a significant allocation towards demolition. The $500,000 council did last year was very successful, and this is far greater. If we were to do $1 million, it would probably be done in two contracts."
That's good news in the fight to clean up Wheeling.
We continue to commend Herron for his work in stewarding the city's finances. Wheeling finds itself in a strong financial position that will allow for needed projects to be started. The city needs to build on this heading into the new fiscal year.