At the Monday night Ronceverte City Council meeting, Mayor David Smith and council members had nothing but praise for the developments around the river community.

To begin with, the wastewater plant is nearing its first start-up date this month, to the pride and jubilation of Dunn Engineering consultant Eric Hartwell, who has been on hand month after month, year after year, overseeing the construction project.

Grant consultant Doug Hilton offered a brief update on the status of Ronceverte’s grant-funded projects, beginnning with the completion of the downtown sidewalk project, though, he added, bike racks have yet to be put in place. New railings are being installed at the amphitheater at Island Park, the community garden will soon have a small greenhouse and fencing around the ballfields, which were destroyed by the flooding, have been replaced, Hilton said.

In a related topic, council expressed their approval of the clean-up work along the Greenbrier River, thanks to the work done by the Human Resource Development Foundation crew led by supervisor Nick Stout. The town is recovering from the 2016 flood, said councilmember Barbara Morgan, and HRDF efforts have “made a huge difference.”

In other business:

• City Administrator Reba Mohler said sign ups for garden bed spaces in the community garden are available on Saturday, May 6, from 10 a.m.-12 noon. Costs are now half-price from last year, she said.
• The Ronceverte municipal election is coming up on June 6, Mohler said. Ronceverte residents are urged to get out and vote. Smith and city council members Barbara Morgan and Shawn Honaker have filed to run for re-election. All three incumbents are unopposed.
• Mohler said Police Chief JR Byer will soon be sending out letters to those residents whose yards are in need of mowing and general upkeep.
• The Thursday morning Flea Market on Edgar Avenue is growing, said Smith. He invited the public to go and see the great values for sale or set up a booth of their own. The $5 fee to set up goes to the Ronceverte Public Library. The annual Salad Luncheon, another library funding event, occurred on Thursday, May 4, at the Trinity United Methodist Church, was widely attended.