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Still Free! More than just an advertisement Inside Inside Dams on the Ohio River Wood Street to be closed Page 6 INNformer Page 4 Publication of The Wells Inn Volume 3, No. 19 The Wells Inn, 316 Charles St. Sistersville, WV 26175 October 14, 2016 Sistersville, Paden City councils seek revenue boost Paden City group Sistersville panel eyes $1/month approves adding water rate hike 1-cent sales tax By Diane Pottorff By Diane Pottorff PADEN CITY – Paden City Council SISTERSVILLE – Come July 1, any- discussed raising the rate on water one who purchases taxable items in service within its district to gain the city can expect to pay a little more money for repairs to the system at its in tax. regular monthly meeting Oct. 3. The Sistersville city council Tuesday The proposed rate increase would be approved raising the municipal sales $1 a month for about five years. tax by 1 percent, which is an extra Councilman Ken Stead said the coun- penny for every dollar spent. cil needed more information about the (See related story on page 4.) possible rate increase, which would Approval was allow customers to absorb the cost unanimous with little or no noticeable effect. by all council ‘IF WE USE THE MONEY Mayor Joel Davis said raising the rate members by $1 would be easier on the cus- present: Phil RIGHT, WE CAN TURN tomers, unlike the last rate increase of Fall festivals are here! Konopacky, $4.81 on sewer bills, which will be Bob Gilmore, SISTERSVILLE implemented Dec. 1 to help pay for a October heralds fall and fall means harvest celebrations. Check out coverage of Bonnie Hizer, AROUND’ Greg Gage new wastewater treatment plant. - Mayor Bill Rice the 33rd annual Middle Island Harvest Festival on page 7. Schoolkids, shown and Brandon “That is a lot of money for our cus- above, enjoy a hay ride through the three-day event Friday. Paden City has its Chadock. tomers,” Davis said. share of activities as well. See page 8. Then there’s Halloween, check out the Richard Long, Alex King and Bryan Recorder Tamra Billiter asked council event listing on page 16, including trick or treat times for the area. Owens were absent. if they would like for her to contact Before the tax goes into effect, how- the Public Service Commission of ever, an ordinance will have to be West Virginia for information on how drafted followed by two readings be- much the city could raise the water fore council, a public hearing then a rate legally and remain financially re- Hospital CEO resigns sponsible. By Charles Winslow final vote by council on the ordi- “We need to do this,” Councilwoman nance, according to Mayor Bill Rice. Susan Postlethwait said. “God help us SISTERSVILLE – In an unexpected move, The tax rate hike will take effect Sistersville General Hospital’s chief exec- around July 1, approximately 180 if something were to happen and we days after the final vote. utive officer John May abruptly resigned did not have the money to get it fixed.” last week. The tax does not include such items Citing personal reasons, May announced as vehicles, gasoline and food. In Sis- Council approved the request unani- tersville, the tax will be 7 percent. his departure to hospital employees in a mously. Those in attendance were memorandum dated Tuesday, Oct. 4. His The collection of the tax will be han- John Staggers, Jim Richmond, resignation took effect the following day. dled by the state tax department who Tammy Parsons, Ken Stead and will return the money to Sistersville. Postlethwait. Clyde Hochstrasser was “It was a surprise, we didn’t expect his de- absent. parture,” said Linda Leasure, chair of SGH’s board of managers in an interview “The money will go toward everyday Discussion on the rate increase began operations,” Rice said, adding that with the INNformer. any left over funding will go into a when Maintenance superintendent rainy day account for the municipality Josh Billiter said the water tanks, con- Brandon Chadock, Sistersville’s director of to use in times of an emergency. structed in 1923, 1935, 1950s-60s and operations, was immediately appointed in- the 1970s, need to be upgraded and painted. terim CEO. The city expects to collect anywhere May’s resignation comes less than a month from $75,000 to $250,000 a year, the been experiencing severe financial chal- Plus, there is not enough storage ca- mayor said. after May and Dr. Amanda Nichols, chief pacity. “Should the water plant go lenges. He said he had already started to cut of medical staff, outlined at the Sept.12 Rice said the city needs the money to down,” Billiter explained. “We would meeting of Sistersville City Council the dif- administration costs and that his departure have enough water in the tanks to last allowed for additional cuts. repair roads, fix sewer and water lines ficulties of operating the hospital under mu- and any other municipal operations for about 14 hours. We just have to Prior to his departure May left a report for nicipal ownership and their desire to see the the hospital board outlining additional steps that need work. hope for the best and prepare for the hospital become independent. He said the only way to raise money worst.” he believes should be taken. May did not Following a discussion about the changes other than the sales tax would be to Billiter said the utility needs a 1 mil- return calls for comment. in healthcare law and the issues facing the raise property taxes or fees. Chadock, who has been in charge of hospi- lion-gallon water tank along with hospital, the city council agreed to set up a “I did not want to do that,” he said. pressure-control valves and other con- tal’s day-to-day operations for five years, joint committee of council members, hos- trol devices to be effective. He also said he was also surprised by May’s sudden f After approximately 30 minutes o pital administration and hospital board said officials would need to sit down departure, but that he had already been with the engineers to see what can be members to look at all of the options avail- working on controlling expenses. discussion, Konopacky made the mo- done and at what cost. able for operating the hospital. tion to initiate the tax. “We need to get our house in order and im- “If we use the money right,” Rice In his resignation letter May stated: “We Council also considered forming a prove our cash collections,” Chadock said. commented, “we can turn Sistersville are in the midst of very trying times for around.” rural facilities,” adding the hospital has Continued on page 4 Continued on page 4 INDEX Dams on the Ohio River 6 Create Your State 9 Classified ads 12 Sheriff candidates 2 Harvest Festival 7 Oil & gas briefs 10 Events 13-16 Familiar Face: Karen Cain 3 Regional roundup 8 Sistersville wood carver 11 Halloween events 16
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