Bath re-adopts new water tariff

The Town of Bath Council voted to re-adopt the new water tariff that moves Berkeley Springs Water Works customers from a quarterly billing cycle to a monthly billing cycle.

Council voted unanimously to re-adopt Ordinance 2012-03 at the Tuesday evening, August 7 meeting.

The ordinance was originally adopted on June 5 but failed to meet the West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) requirement for advertising. The Commission requested the Water Works advertise the new tariff again in The Morgan Messenger and have council vote to re-adopt the ordinance.

The tariff will then be re-submitted to the PSC for approval.

In addition to moving customers to a monthly billing schedule, the new tariff raises some service fees such as tap fees and the cost to cut-off or turn-on service, but it does not raise water rates.

Moment of silence
Recorder Vince Kidwell presided over the council meeting in the absence of Mayor Susan Webster and Councilwoman Elizabeth Skinner who are attending a Municipal League conference.

At the start of the meeting, Kidwell asked for a moment of silence for Bath K-9 Police Officer Butch. Butch passed away Saturday morning, August 4 after five years of faithful service to the Berkeley Springs Police Department.

A service was held for Butch on Tuesday morning, August 6 at the Berkeley Springs High School.

Town to replace truck
Kidwell told the council Town Clerk Debra Peck had received a $4,900 insurance settlement for the truck that was stolen from the Myers Street facility over the Memorial Day weekend.

The council authorized Councilman Scott Merki, Street Crew Supervisor Rodney Steiner and Chief Water Operator Terry Largent to visit the state’s surplus vehicle lot in Buchannon and spend up to $4,000 on a replacement truck.

Train Depot roof repaired
Former Councilman Ryan Rebant representing the Train Station Committee and the Historic Landmarks Commission reported the leaking roof at the train depot had been repaired at a cost of $900.

He also reported a $2,500 grant from the state to fund an education program for realtors on the selling of historic properties was returned to the state.

Rebant said the state cut the budget for the project in half and increased the requirements making the grant too difficult to accept.

The town had already fronted the $2,500 to the commission expecting a reimbursement from the state grant.

Rebant said he felt the training was worthwhile and asked the town to consider letting the commission keep the money to spend on the training. Or, he said, the commission would refund the money.

The issue will be put on the agenda for the next council meeting.

Dispute with vendor
Peck reported the new accounting software from Allegheny Systems Inc. does not allow the individual tracking of vendor purchases made with the state purchase card.

Purchases are only reported by the system on a monthly basis as a lump sum.

Both Peck and Merki said they believed they were told by the salesman the system would track purchase card uses down to the specific vendors.

Peck said the company wants to charge an additional one-time fee of $990 and an annual expense for maintenance of $240 to upgrade the system so that both the town office and water works can track specific purchase card use.

Peck will arrange for the salesman to attend the next council meeting to discuss the issue.

Tree grant approved
A West Virginia Community Tree grant submitted by Councilwoman Skinner for 12 trees to be planted in the Greenway Cemetery has been approved by the state, Councilman Andy Swaim said.

Hotel-Motel funds
Swaim reported the town has collected hotel-motel taxes of $8,100 so far this year. He said the money will soon be distributed to the nine organizations requesting funds.