Issues arising from the Red Jacket and Thacker water projects were the focus of the Matewan Town Council meeting earlier this week. The council made a motion to stop pumping at the Red Jacket Water station until issues with correspondence from FEMA can be taken care of.

“It’s costing the town an average of $1,400 per day to continue pumping at the Red Jacket station and FEMA representatives want detailed itemizations and invoices,” said Mayor Shelia Kessler during the meeting.

Councilman Pat Garland made the motion to cease pumping at the station until issues with FEMA could be resolved. Councilman Eddie Nenni seconded the motion and the council approved it.

Issues with the Thacker project’s tank location site were brought before the council. The site for the tank cannot be used since the location is permitted for mining and another site must be resubmitted to the health department.

Other topics discussed at the council meeting were purchasing a personal computer for the fire department, a new design for the town’s police cruisers presented by Chief of Police Dave Stratton, and the council heard business owner Bill Sutterlin’s concerns regarding parking in town.

Sutterlin voiced his concerns in regards to his business, the Blue Goose Inn to the town council. Sutterlin felt parking problems would be critical to his inn, primarily based on patrons wanting to have their ATVs near his establishment when staying there.

He said this issue came about from the town not allowing parking in the field on McCoy Street. Council member Lois Justice explained the area behind the Blue Goose was not suitable for trailers and ATV parking in its current state and could damage the site.

The issue was deferred to the redevelopment board meeting Wednesday, Oct. 21. The redevelopment board compromised by allowing Sutterlin to have graveled ATV parking for 15 ATVs near the Blue Goose and will present the motion at the next town council meeting.