Durbin Town Council Meets Informally

Durbin, WV – When the Durbin Town Council convened Monday night, only Mayor Donald Peck, Treasurer Veronica Lane and council members Emma Grace Nottingham and John Osborne were present. At least one other council member is dealing with health issues, but the whereabouts of the other two members was not known.

Because they didn’t have a quorum, no decisions could be made on the agenda items. However, that didn’t stop the council members and others at the meeting from discussing issues facing the town. Former council member Kenny Lehman brought up one of those issues.

“Well, I think something needs to be done about these four-wheelers, they’re gonna either hurt somebody or kill somebody,” said Lehman.

Lehman says he was shocked to see a child he estimates to be no more than 4 or 5 riding on miniaturized version of the a full size ATV.

Peck agrees with Lehman that the vehicles should be better regulated. State law restricts the vehicles from traveling on roads with a center line. Attempts to strengthen regulations in the West Virginia legislature have failed. Council member John Osborne suggests taking this up with the ordinance committee.

Mayor Peck also told the council members about his intention to attend a meeting of the Region Four Planning and Development Council in Summersville. He says he’s going to the meeting to get information about a block grant that could give the town over $30,000 for town improvements. Peck says he’d like to use the money to make improvements to the town hall.

Council members asked Peck about using the block grant to repair town owned apartments to create revenue for the town. But Peck says the fire marshal has condemned the apartments, and he estimates it would cost considerably more than the grant amount to get them up to code.

Peck told council that Hannah Engineering is putting together the specifications for the town sewer project. That project will replace aging sewer pipes throughout the town of Durbin.

Peck also told them about a kerosene leak they found when addressing a water backup at the intersection of 1st street and fourth avenues, near the firehouse. Peck reported it to the West Virginia Dept of Environmental Protection. The leak was traced to nearby home. Peck says the homeowner is upset with him, accusing Peck of deliberately turning him in. But Peck says he’s required by law to report this kind of spill to the DEP, or face severe fines on the town.

Peck says he will try to reschedule the Town Council meeting for later in the month.