By Sarah Richardson
White Sulphur Springs City Council met last Tuesday to discuss money awarded to the City for a bike park, supporting the Mountain Transit Authority, an overview of the annual spring cleanup, progress with the dilapidated structure removal project, and more.
Mayor Kathy Glover read a letter sent to the City by U.S. Senator Joe Manchin last month stating that they will be receiving $2.6 million for the construction of a bike park.
“I am pleased to report that Congress recently passed, and the President signed into law, an appropriations package that included your fiscal year 2024 congressionally-directed spending project. As a result of your hard work, the City of White Sulphur Springs will receive $2,688,000 for construction of a bike park,” states the letter. “This was a highly competitive process with over 660 submissions and only 231 approved awards. Your project proved to be one of the best in the state.”
Mayor Glover said that the project started with Clay Elkins, Sarah Elkins, and Max Hammer, and was supported by Region IV along with other entities. Glover learned at a recent training she learned this will be only the second bike park in the state of West Virginia and will be the largest. “They are all excited to help us do whatever they can to move this project forward,” said Glover. “And we are excited to have it.”
The bike park will be located on City property adjacent to Hope Village and will have something for all ages. A skills bike park is an environment where children, teens, or adults can learn essential bicycle riding skills in a safe and fun environment. They are purposefully designed areas with a gravel or dirt surface and various technical and challenging elements. Skills bike parks can be built as unique bike parks in urban areas, or as additions to existing bike parks. This type of park offers a great option to spend time with family and friends in an engaging way while improving riding skills. Areas within the proposed skills park include a pump track, push bike track, a track with progressive jump lines, and shaded areas for spectators.
The Mountain Transit Authority (MTA) requested a commitment of $2,300 to support the bus route, with the Council voting unanimously to do so. “They are a great service to White Sulphur Springs,” added a councilmember.
Interim Maintenance Supervisor Bo Belshee said that the city-wide spring cleanup was a success, with a good amount of trash being hauled off. “We picked up a lot of stuff. We usually pick up a lot of things at the end of the month and the first of the month from move-outs, vacated properties or whatever, but we picked up a lot of things that hopefully were from people cleaning up their yards and getting stuff out of the way that they just didn’t need,” said Belshee.
Councilmember Taylor reported that the dilapidated structure board had a meeting, and they are currently “looking at dilapidated structures that are on our list throughout the City,” adding that they will start moving forward on getting these properties “taken care of.” There was $234,000 received from the state to help with the expense of tearing down these properties, “which is a wonderful, wonderful thing,” said Taylor. Mayor Glover specified that these funds come from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) monies, and she states that means there is more flexibility with helping out individual property owners.
Taylor added that as warmer weather settles in for spring, to please be on top of lawn care and maintenance, and to be a good neighbor. He reminded attendees about the City’s leash law, saying all dogs in city limits can’t be “running at large” and must be leashed or kept on their own property. “We all have to abide by this,” he said.
The Greenbrier Valley Conservation District presented a flood control operation request, with an annual funding amount of $2,750 requested to operate and maintain the Howard’s Creek Channel Flood Control structure in the 2025 budget. It was approved unanimously.
Council moved into executive session to discuss the encroachment of 50 East onto City property, which had been tabled at a previous meeting. No decisions were made in the session, and Mayor Glover made a motion to provide the property owner with information regarding the encroachment.
Councilmember Mark Gillespie said that he recently attended a Convention and Visitor’s Bureau summit, and reported that when speaking with a variety of people from the Charleston area, “they are so much in support of our city, of White Sulphur.” He said that he made a special note to invite businesses to move into White Sulphur, saying they are welcomed.
A separate checking account for “The Ridges project” was approved. These funds do not come from the City, but are provided by Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds.
In other news:
- Mayor Glover read a resolution proclaiming April as Sexual Assault Awareness month for White Sulphur.
- A Youth Recreation Funding Application request for Spa City Soccer in the amount of $1,000 was approved as in previous years. A request for $1,000 for Pee Wee Basketball was approved, as well.
- Mayor Glover said that the City is still seeking a site to install a water tank on Route 92. “If you know anybody that’s got some property that’s at least 2,250 feet [elevated] that we could talk to about placing that tank, send their names our way so we can get in touch with them,” she said. She reports that the City has already reached out “to a lot of people up through there,” but are still looking.
- Councilmember Audrey VanBuren said that soccer and softball seasons have already started for the year, and she has contacted the teams to get schedules for the teams so they can make sure the lights on the fields are on at the correct times.
- A meeting to lay the levy was set for Apr. 16 at 8 a.m. in Council chambers.