The council discussed the proposed increase from Veolia Water of 3% mentioned in the last council meeting. After checking the town’s contract with Veolia, Mayor Shelia Kessler said the contract called for an annual increase determined by the consumer price index (CPI) set the U.S. Department of Labor if an agreement was not met. Based on December’s CPI, the increase would be 2.7%. Councilman Stevie Fullen made a motion for the council to not agree to any increase above 2.7% however the motion was not passed. Councilman Keith Blankenship felt the council should try to lower the purposed increased through negotiations with Veolia. The issue was tabled for later discussion.
Bids will be advertised for repairs to the water tank on Mary Taylor Mountain after the council approved a motion to allow E.L. Robinson Engineering in to prepare the bid package. The cost to repair the tank are approximately $317,900.
Councilmen Pat Garland and Blankenship presented the council with tentative plans for a tourism task force to be implemented to help the townspeople and local businesses work towards a positive goal in tourism. The councilmen will continue to flesh out plans for the task force in further meetings and possibly compile it with a board to determine whether or not the town could manage the Matewan pool if the town obtained the property.
Renovations to the park north of Hatfield Bottom and south of Matewan High School on Rt. 49 have been planned and bids will be advertised for the repairs. The council has approximately $18,000 left of a $25,000 grant to renovate the park. Repairs began in the fall but were halted during the winter months and will begin again during the spring.
Chief of Police Dave Stratton reported two new police officers are currently working for the Matewan Police Department, Dave Hatfield of Gilbert and Joey Blankenship of Meador. Each officer is working 10 hours weekly and Stratton is training the officers on weekends.
Dates were set for Matewan’s yearly events at the council meeting and events will go on despite the weather. Events are listed below:
-May 15, The Matewan Massacre Drama, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
-June 12, The Hatfield-McCoy Festival, beginning at 8 a.m.
-Aug. 3-7, The Magnolia Fair
-Sept. 11, Matewan Homecoming, beginning at 8 a.m.
-Oct. 22, Halloween Party from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
-Nov. 10, Veteran’s Day parade and program, beginning at 12 p.m.
-Dec. 10, The Matewan Christmas Parade, beginning at 5 p.m.
The Matewan Town Council will meet again March.9.
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