By Adam Pack
The Alderson City Council met Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and bestowed the title of “Aldersonian” on three citizens. The City Council wished to recognize Meagan Meadows, Becky Pence, and Richard Moore as the city’s newest “true and devout Aldersonians.” All three are recognized for their past service at Alderson’s Fritz Pharmacy. The city drafted a resolution which stated that “Alderson Pharmacy has been a staple in the town for many years and the staff of Alderson pharmacy have always gone above and beyond to serve the public.”
The city’s resolution went on to say that the service rendered by Alderson’s newest honorees “routinely exemplified what service and compassion is all about. [Their] dedication and service, therefore, should not go unnoticed.”
Mayor Travis Copenhaver spoke briefly about the decision to name Moore an Aldersonian: “When COVID-19 was in its baby stages, Moore probably spent more time telling me what was going on and helping me make decisions, making sure my staff had proper PPE, and keeping the community informed, than anyone else.” While not able to attend, Moore responded to the council in writing. His letter read, in part, “I am honored and blessed to have been part of your lives. My own family calls me northward, but please know this part of my life is a blessing and privilege.”
The council also addressed action pertaining to the recent opioid settlement. In exchange for payments from said settlement, the town would have to drop their suits against Teva Pharmaceuticals, CVS, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, and Allergan. Mayor Copenhaver noted that this money would have to be spent under very close oversight and under the guidelines of the opioid use and abuse abatement. According to the mayor’s calculations, the settlement will be split between litigants such that Alderson will receive roughly $8,000.
The city also heard updates regarding projects associated with city water. Zach Wright, lead engineer for the city’s water lines project, was present to inform the council that the project is now designed and will go to the appropriate state and federal agencies for approval. This process can take, “a minimum of six months,” according to Wright, who added that “That puts us right on schedule to start summer of next year [2023].”
On the water plant relocation project, Mayor Copenhaver simply commented on the difficulties that Thrasher is having in designating an alternative water source stream for the plant. “Muddy Creek is currently reading at a flow of roughly 300 gallons a minute. Our water plant normally runs at 500 gallons a minute of flow, and [Thrasher Engineers] would need 350 gallons at least to be comfortable.” Measures are being taken by Thrasher to address this issue and future updates are pending. The council also approved an agreement between the WVU Land Law Program and the Alderson Planning Commission. The WVU Land Law program uses legal students and interns to help municipalities and nonprofits revise and update their zoning laws.
The Alderson City Council meets on the second Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in the Alderson City Building. The public is encouraged to attend.
