By Steve Pendleton
The Wardensville Town Council convened in regular session on Monday, June 9, 2025 at the Visitor’s Center. Present were Mayor Besty Orndoff-Sayers; Council members Charlotte Bowman, Serena Kay Cline, Michael Funkhouser, and Jackie McGuiness; Erich Atkinson, Public Works Supervisor; Lisa Twigg of the Wardensville Volunteer Rescue Squad.
Consent Items
The council approved the May meeting and authorized bills to be paid.
Presentation
Lisa Twigg of the Wardensville Volunteer Rescue Squad presented a proposal asking the town to help the purchase of new computer tablets for each of the ambulance units.
The anticipated cost for each computer is approximately $900. Local businesses will also be contacted for donations. Orndoff-Sayers asked that she return after the start of the new fiscal year on July 1 st to request a contribution.
Mayor’s Report
The CALL Participant Showcase was held on Sunday, June 1st at the Visitor’s Center.
We had a lovely turnout, and the students displayed their creations. There were woven baskets and foot stools, polymer jewelry and buttons, crocheted potholders, and beautiful watercolors from the beginner and intermediate watercolor classes.
I will meet with Logan Mongold, our USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) contact for the Cafeteria Project this Thursday to receive the Letter of Conditions for the project. Town Council will approve the conditions. We will wait to receive the Letter of Intent. Once received, we can begin to bid out the project.
The announcement for our Appalachian Regional Commission award will take place later this month. The announcement was supposed to be in May but was postponed.
The $50,000 will be used to cover grant administration fees for our cafeteria renovation project. Staff has met with Hardy County Schools and a potential child care provider concerning the square footage that would be needed. They also convened with Pastor Robert Oakley to discuss Fitness Center needs (showers and toilets). A verification of funding letter has been sent to Governor Morrisey for funds ($303,000) promised by former Governor Justice for the Cafeteria Project.
Eco Valley Sandblasting finished the basketball backs stops. Roger Holiday paused his work on the concrete pad due to a death in his family. J&K Landscaping provided the town with a quote for stones to go around the basketball court. Triad Engineering in Winchester estimated the cost of the compaction test for the pool demo at around $5,000.
The Water and Sewer project work continues. The contractors are moving along on schedule. Anthony Orndorff is painting sight lines along Main St. We have been trying to get the sight line painting project going for 2 years. Sightlines are painted curbs usually in yellow, to indicate a no parking zone.
Lines for the Indoor Pickleball Court have been laid. David Brill. Ryan Brill, and Brad Armentrout did an exceptional job laying out the court and getting the tape in place to mark the court. Play began this past Saturday.
The Administrative Clerk position has been readvertised, and interviews were held. We have extended an offer to an applicant. A comment letter was sent to WVDOH (Division of Highways) with the letters that we had provided concurrence for. (reporter’s note: these are a series of communications over an extended period between the town and the state regarding environmental reports provided by DOH for Corridor H construction).
I wanted to ensure that those agreements were part of the official record.
Public Works Report
Supervisor Erich Atkinson said that the sewer project is going smoothly. September is the expected timeline for completion of the new water system. The lift station at Warden Acres was damaged when lightning struck a nearby transformer. The replacement cost for two damaged variable frequency drives was $6,000. Water needed to be pumped out into the lagoon before repairs could begin. Insurance covered the $4,000 cost.
Coincidentally, one of the two pumps at the same lift station is failing. Precision Pumps will try to rebuild it. The estimated cost is $10,000. Atkinson added Green Pro to the lagoon, which will keep algae growth to a minimum.
Unfinished Business
Resolution 2025-19 was approved through a roll call vote for the ninth allocation of funding on the new water system project. Resolution 2025-20 approved the ninth withdrawal of funds for the water project. After exploring four different options for spending LWCF (Land Water Conservation Fund) money for recreational projects, the council chose option #4. This alternative will provide money for a small splash pad in town, in addition to a climbing wall, skating park, and miniature (putt-putt) golf course.
New Business
The council approved a payment of $835 into the quarterly Workers’ Compensation fund. A revision to the 2024-25 budget was authorized. The towns budgeted Coal Severance tax allotment was $1,000. A decrease of $85 in the allocation from the state dropped the total to $915. Council approved an adjustment in the budget. The town uses those funds to pay for streetlights costs. The fitness center requested that $4,000 be used to purchase new hex rubber dumbbells. Orndoff-Sayers said that the fitness center budget had funds to cover the expenses. Wardensville received a landscaping grant to cover the lot across from the funeral home in gravel.
The West Virginia Municipal League conference will take place in Morgantown from
August 4th to August 7th. As in past years the town will send representatives to participate. The conference provid es valuable training and innovative ideas to cities andtowns around the state to improve services to its citizens.
The council entered into an executive session at 8:05 p.m. The meeting was adjourned at its conclusion. The next meeting of the Wardensville town council is scheduled for
Monday, July 14, 2025, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Visitors Center.
