Town of Bath to sell two lots
The Town of Bath Council voted to sell two small lots shown on town maps as unimproved extensions of existing streets at the Tuesday evening, January 22 meeting.
Rick Weber, a resident of Church Street, had asked the town last year to abandon or cede to him and two other adjacent landowners a 2,160 square foot lot that is an unused extension of Scaling Street.
Weber wants to build a storage building on the lot.
Doug Waugh and Corey Lett Belton have asked several councils, including this one to cede or abandon a lot adjacent to their properties that is an unused extension of Ewing Street.
Citing state code, Council-man and Finance Chairman Andy Swaim explained to the council their options are to sell, lease or cede the lots:
If the town decided to sell the lots for more than $1,000, the town would have to advertise in the local newspaper and auction off the properties.
If the town decided to lease the lots, a notice would have to be placed in the local newspaper and a public hearing held. In either case, the town would incur expenses.
If the town decided to sell the lots for less than $1,000, there would be no auction or public hearing before the sale could proceed.
“On both of these issues my opinion is I want these people to have the use of the property,” Webster said.
After a brief discussion, the council passed a motion to sell the two properties involved for less than $1,000 with the stipulation that the town incur no expense in the transfer of the properties.
Weber, who recently had a survey and title search competed, offered the town $600 for the Scaling Street lot. The council unanimously agreed to sell the property at that price to Weber.
The second lot in question, an alleyway between the Waugh and Belton properties, Swaim, Councilwoman Elizabeth Skinner and Councilman Vince Kidwell said they would like to see the property before entertaining an offer.
In the meantime, Waugh and Belton agreed to have a survey completed and the property staked out before coming back to council with an offer.
Cruise-ins scheduled
Rick Kesecker of the Mountain State Cruisers classic car club asked the council to allow the club to hold cruise-ins on the first Friday of each month from May through September.
On those days parking meters on the south side of Fairfax Street next to Berkeley Springs State Park will be bagged for the clubs use.
Kesecker said the club is bringing back to town this year the large Father’s Day car show on Sunday, June 16. He asked the council to allow the meters to be bagged that day on both Fairfax and Washington streets adjacent to the park.
The council approved both requests.
Fiber project coming?
Ron Martin of B2B Products approached the council with a request to install a microwave antenna on the town’s water tower on Fairview Drive.
He said if approved, it would be the first step in a long process of bringing a free space fiber optic system into the town.
Martin told The Morgan Messenger his company rents space on a fiber network in Maryland and would use the microwave system as a temporary connection and later, once fiber is installed, as a backup.
The council referred the request to the Water Committee.
New sign for Cornelius Ave.
Town Clerk Debra Peck displayed a new sign that will be placed near the intersection of Fairfax Street and Cornelius Avenue to warn motorists.
The sign reads:
Stop
Dead End
No Turnaround
GPS Wrong.
