Trending
At a time when downtown Wheeling is seeing a much-needed facelift, the City-County Building in Wheeling is set to undergo one of its own -- and it's well past time for it to happen.
For years, the granite slabs that adorn the columns at the building's side entrance at 16th Street have been separating from the underlying pillars. It's made for an unsightly appearance for our official government offices.
But much like the ongoing Downtown Streetscape Project will lead to a new look for the long-neglected central business district, cleaning up the public face of the City-County Building shows taxpayers that appearances do, in fact, matter.
The project is set to cost $190,000, and more than half that funding is coming through a $100,000 Courthouse Facilities Improvement grant. Ohio County Administrator Randy Russell said funding sources for the remaining $90,000 are being evaluated.
"We plan to use the funds to repair the stone column covers on the Chapline Street and 16th Street porticos. As you can tell, they are falling off on the south end. We currently have ratchet straps holding them."
Consider that: ratchet straps holding together our local government offices. That's akin to an old pickup truck that has the bed ratcheted to the frame. That's not the appearance our community needs to be projecting -- an appearance that we don't care, when in fact we do.
The project is set to go out to bid early next year, with a projected April start date. The sooner the better, we say, as the work needs completed.
We can't stress enough -- appearances do matter, particularly when it comes to how government officials are managing our community.
Let's get this important project completed as soon as possible.