File image.
WESTOVER, W.Va. – The plan to annex the Corwin Place into the city of Westover has some residents calling for multiple investigations.
Council members approved the plan during the meeting December 6, on condition that an agreement would be reached to hold the city harmless if a disturbed hillside were to become unstable.
During the December 20 meeting council members tabled the issue. Mayor Dave Johnson said the issue was tabled while more documentation relating to the property was completed.
“There were a couple of parcels that we weren’t sure of the ownership,” Johnson said. ” I have since found out, but I didn’t get it out in time for the packets.
During public comments, resident Frank Huy accused council of not properly competing the required filings to legally annex the property. He said the issue was being pushed to approval by Mayor Johnson before the legally required steps were completed. Huy told council members he planned to contact the West Virginia State Bar Association for an investigation into city attorney Tim Stranko and another into the annexation process.
“The citizens will be asking the Mon County authorities to investigate into this administration and all of the council members for their involvement into this corruption,” Huy said.
Corwin Place is a development with approximately 25 townhomes that would be served by the city if the annexation is approved.
“Just the streets and the common areas, there are a few common areas- they’ll be in the city,” Johnson said. ” We’ll pave the streets, snowplow it everything else.”
Council members also approved a measure that will allow the city to advertise for engineering services for the Holland Avenue project.
City Attorney Tim Stranko provided to options to advertise for the services. One option would be restrictive, another would be more broad and could be added to or trimmed at the direction of city council.
“The more general, border project could actually end up being as specific and limited as you care, but it gives us the option to advertise for an engineer who would more if you care to do more,” Stranko said.
The broader scope will give elected leaders more flexibility during the planning phase. in previous discussions about the project officials wanted to use their $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan money to the improvements from the end of the Westover Bridge to the top of the hill. The reconstruction will include storm and sanitary sewer, retaining walls, pavement and sidewalks.
“One of the tasks for the engineer under the broad advertisement the engineer can be asked to do is hold public meetings to get input for you from the constituents to find out what they want to see,” Stranko said.
During the public portion of the meeting resident Allie Jackson renewed a call for an independent investigation into suspected corruption. Jackson cited the recording released in September. In the 90-minute recording, police chief Richard Panico, police Lt. John Morgan, Westover city attorney Tim Stranko and City Councilman Steve Andryzcik discussed Panico’s pending resignation and a letter signed by 11 members of the police department raising concerns about the conduct of Arron Dalton.
Dalton remains on paid administrative leave was the city reportedly conducts their investigation into alleged civil rights violations on two occasions. City officials say Dalton has been investigated by the Monongalia County Prosecutor’s office, West Virginia State Police and the FBI. No charges have resulted from the investigations.