By: Jennifer Dearborn
The Davis town hall was full of guests for the bi-weekly meeting. Lots of ongoing discussion continues when it comes to sewage, speeding, and an ordinance enforcer.
The town does have ordinances but they are not being enforced due to a lack of an enforcement officer. Until one can be found, the council has come up with some solutions to put a bandaid on these issues until a permanent solution can be found.
Council heard from a Thomas Avenue resident whose wife has been attacked two times by the same pit bull. “We want to move due to this and we love it here” stated the concerned citizen. There is a leash ordinance but currently there is no one to enforce this. Mayor Al Tomson asked the guest to stay after the meeting to discuss this further.
Another guest and lifelong Davis resident, Mike Small, addressed the council about speeding through town. The town has discussed getting flashing speeding signs and has spoken with local law enforcement. The Sheriff of Tucker County and West Virginia State Police have agreed to dedicate two hours per shift for the Davis/Thomas area.
Lack of sewage has always been a pressing issue for the town. The EPA has just tacked on a fine in the amount of $68,000. The town can pump up to 120,000 gallons of stormwater into the Blackwater River daily. When it rains they pump anywhere from 200,000-500,000 gallons so it’s a major issue that needs solved. In the next three to four weeks the sewer project will begin. They will do a smoke test to pinpoint the problem areas.
With the smoke tests coming and the town roads getting paved in September, Mayor Tomson said they are working on some kind of call/text messaging system to keep the residents informed.
Davis has seen new businesses popping up for quite some time. Council person Jeanette Ware suggested that anyone wanting a business license must come before the council and discuss said business. The council unanimously voted this into effect.
Jessica Waldo was a guest at the meeting and gave the annual report for the Tucker County Convention and Visitors Bureau. She also informed the council that they will have a meeting to discuss Leaf Peepers.
Run for It has decided to do the run virtual for the 2021 festival. “We want to do as much as we can, as safely as we can” Waldo expressed.
The next council meeting will be Wednesday September 8, 2021.