2023 Election Information
The 2023 municipal election for the city of Elkins will be held June 13, 2023.
On that date, a mayor will be elected to a four-year term and one council member from each of the city’s five wards will be elected to four-year terms. Also, one council member from Second Ward and one from Third Ward will be elected to two-year “unexpired” terms.
Follow this link to learn more about polling places, voter registration, absentee voting, and more.
City Hall News: Week of March 20, 2023
Meeting next week are the Elkins Sanitary Board, council’s ad hoc Organizational Audit Committee, and the Elkins Historic Landmarks Commission.
Utility bills and in-city Fire & Rescue Service Fees are due Monday.
The Sanitary Board, which oversees the city’s wastewater system, meets Monday at 10 a.m. Agenda items include updates on wastewater ordinances, a contract with the Region VII Planning and Development Council for GIS services, and sewer issues at the Mountaineer Gymnastics Academy.
Meeting Tuesday at 1 p.m., the ad-hoc Organizational Audit Committee will discuss IT services, GIS services, and the possibility of creating the new position of maintenance department construction worker.
The Historic Landmarks Commission meets Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the Darden House (next door to city hall) to continue work on the Rosie the Riveter program and other old business.
All meetings are open to the public and, unless otherwise stated, held at Elkins City Call (401 Davis Avenue). Find agendas and other meeting information here: www.cityofelkinswv.com/council-and-committee-meetings.
City Hall News: Week of March 6, 2023
Meeting this week are the Finance, Rules & Ordinances, Municipal Properties and Personnel Committees. Also meeting is the Elkins Tree Board and the Elkins Planning Commission. Council may hold a special call meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m.
The Finance Committee meets Monday at 10 a.m. to consider revisions to the current fiscal year’s budget and to review draft fiscal year 2024 Sanitation, Landfill, Coal Severance, Fire Department and General Fund budgets.
The Elkins Tree Board meets Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Darden House (421 Davis Ave.) with planned discussions on several proposed events and activities for this calendar year, including plantings, maintenance, and education.
The Rules & Ordinances Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. for continued discussion of proposed revisions to the animal control ordinance.
A special meeting of the Municipal Properties Committee is also scheduled for Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. to hear a report from Operations Manager Mike Kesecker.
Thursday at noon the Personnel Committee will meet to review a request for reappointment of City Attorney Geraldine Roberts of Crim Law Office.
The Elkins Planning Commission meets Thursday at 3:30 p.m. to review a timeline for the statutorily required update of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, plan opportunities for public outreach and to consider contracting with the WVU Law School Land Use and Sustainable Development Clinic for assistance with the plan.
There is a tentative council meeting on the calendar for Thursday at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will not be confirmed until after hearing the recommendations of the Finance Committee earlier in the week.
EPD Receives $950,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending Spending
The City of Elkins would like to thank Senator Joe Manchin III and Senator Shelley Moore Capito for their efforts in securing $950,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the Elkins Police Department. This investment will allow E.P.D. to make significant technology upgrades that will greatly assist us in protecting the lives and property of the citizens of Elkins and our visitors. The most notable portion of this project will be the implementation of a street camera system utilizing license plate reader technology. Systems such as these have proven to be very effective at assisting law enforcement agencies in preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal activity. This system will also provide valuable assistance in non-criminal tasks such as traffic crash investigation, missing persons, and monitoring roadway conditions during inclement weather.
The Elkins Police Department is committed to providing the safest atmosphere possible for our residents, businesses, and guests. We are extremely thankful to receive this funding and look forward to implementing this project in the near future.
City Hall News: Week of February 6, 2023
Meeting this week are council’s Finance Committee, Rules & Ordinances Committee, Municipal Properties Committee, and Personnel Committee. Also meeting are the Elkins Tree Board and the Elkins Planning Commission.
The Finance Committee meets Monday at 10 a.m. to review proposed budget revisions and discuss the fleet fuel card.
Overdue utility accounts must be brought up to date before Tuesday to avoid shutoff.
Meeting Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., the Tree Board will discuss responsibilities of board members and officers, make plans for Arbor Day and other upcoming events, prepare its request to City of Elkins for inclusion in the FY 2024 budget, and brainstorm ideas for next year’s Division of Forestry Demonstration City grant application.
On Wednesday at 9 a.m., the Rules & Ordinances Committee continues discussion of regulation of animals inside city limits.
The Municipal Properties Committee meets Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. On the agenda are the proposed auction of equipment belonging to the Sanitation Department and a proposal from a contractor to provide services at the landfill.
On Thursday at 12 p.m., the Personnel Committee will discuss the compensation of the city’s municipal judge.
Meeting Thursday at 3:30 p.m., the Planning Commission will begin work on its decennial update of the city’s comprehensive plan, which must be completed by 2025.
All meetings are open to the public and, unless otherwise stated, held at Elkins City Call (401 Davis Avenue). Find agendas and other meeting information here: www.cityofelkinswv.com/council-and-committee-meetings.
City Hall News: Week of January 27, 2023
The only governing bodies meeting this week are the Elkins Sanitary Board, which oversees the city’s sewer system, and the Elkins Common Council.
Business & Occupation annual and quarterly tax returns are due Tuesday. If you file quarterly tax returns, you do not need to file an annual return.
The Sanitary Board meets Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. to continue discussion of compensation for the chief wastewater operator and to review invoices.
Council meets Thursday at 7 p.m. The agenda may be adjusted through Tuesday. Current items include proposed acceptance of a grant awarded to the Elkins Tree Board, and presentation of the Elkins Police Department’s annual report. There will also be presentations by Elkins Main Street and the Elkins Tree Board.
All meetings are open to the public and, unless otherwise stated, held at Elkins City Call (401 Davis Avenue). Find agendas and other meeting information here: www.cityofelkinswv.com/council-and-committee-meetings.
City Hall News: Week of Jan. 23, 2023
Meeting next week are the Elkins Sanitary Board, which manages the city’s sewer system, and the Elkins Water Board, which manages the city’s water system.
The Sanitary Board meets Monday at 10 a.m. The meeting will begin with a public presentation concerning the Long Term Control Plan, which concerns the reduction of stormwater volume in the wastewater system to avoid sewage overflows to the Tygart River during heavy rain events. Also on the agenda are stormwater access to the Tygart Hotel, compensation for the chief wastewater operator, and discussion of the position of Sanitary Board secretary.
On Tuesday at 4 p.m., the Water Board meets on an agenda that includes discussion of the position of Sanitary Board secretary and salary classification and compensation plan for water system employees.
B&O annual and quarterly tax returns are due January 31.
All meetings are open to the public and, unless otherwise stated, held at Elkins City Call (401 Davis Avenue). Find agendas and other meeting information here: www.cityofelkinswv.com/council-and-committee-meetings.
Update on Tax Increment Financing Process
Last modified on January 23rd, 2023 at 01:28 pm
Earlier this month, council voted to make application to the West Virginia Department of Economic Development for authority to form a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district in Elkins. (See map at bottom of post.)
TIF is a mechanism created in state law to help cities and counties pay for needed projects when other financing is not available. At the heart of TIF is the concept of reserving future increases in property tax revenues for local use, while avoiding the need to increase property-tax rates. (Read more about TIF here.)
Applying for creation of the TIF district is the only step taken by council to date. Although the application requires enumerating possible projects that may be undertaken, the list of possible projects is amendable. The only projects that may be funded by TIF are those for which no other source of funding can be identified. (Click here for information about potential projects for redeveloping downtown Elkins.)
TIF funds may be accessed by issuing municipal bonds or through a process called pay-as-you-go. Issuing bonds would require separate council approval, along with justification of financial need and anticipated revenue collection.
Next steps in the TIF process:
- The city’s application is being reviewed by WVDED. The city should hear a response by sometime in March.
- If the application proposing to create a TIF district is approved, the city must then approve an ordinance doing so. It is currently estimated that such an ordinance could be finally approved by early April.
- Yet to come: decision about whether to issue bonds or use pay-as-you-go method, and how to most effectively apply revenues to the identified projects.
City Hall News: Week of Jan. 16, 2023
Meeting this week are council’s ad hoc Organizational Audit Committee and Municipal Properties Committee. Also meeting are the Elkins Historic Landmarks Commission (EHLC), Elkins Parks & Recreation Commission (EPRC), and the Elkins Planning Commission.
City hall will be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Garbage service will run on regular schedule.
The Organizational Audit Committee meets Tuesday at 1 p.m. to discuss the structure of the Building Inspector/Code Enforcement/Zoning Officer position, the Operations Assistant and Administrative Assistant position descriptions, and Safety Officer role and responsibilities.
EHLC meets Tuesday at 4 p.m. Agenda items include election of officers, plans for 2023, council report, and potential opportunities for EHLC to tie in with the SGA report.
Meeting Wednesday at 9 a.m., the Municipal Properties Committee takes up the National Fitness Campaign.
EPRC meets Wednesday at 5 p.m., at the Phil Gainer Community Center. Agenda items include next steps for the horseshoe pit at City Park.
Also meeting Wednesday at 5 p.m., the Planning Commission will take up matters related to the All Creatures Great and Small Veterinary Practice and the Hayes parcel on Spruce Street.
Utility bill and in-city Fire & Rescue Service Fee payments are due Thursday. Annual and fourth quarter Business and Occupation Tax returns are due by the end of the month.
Council meets Thursday at 7 p.m. The agenda may be adjusted through Tuesday. Current items include final readings of an ordinance to renew the cable television franchise agreement with Optimum (formerly Suddenlink) and one that updates city election code in light of the new city charter adopted in 2021.
All meetings are open to the public and, unless otherwise stated, held at Elkins City Call (401 Davis Avenue). Find agendas and other meeting information here: www.cityofelkinswv.com/council-and-committee-meetings.
City Recycling Site Moving Friday
The drop-off location for recycling yard waste and glass is moving from Jones Drive to the grounds of the City of Elkins Street Department, at 1 Baxter Street. The new location will open to receive recyclables on Friday, January 13.
The new location for the containers is behind the Street Department garage. To reach the containers, drive past the garage, turn right on Chestnut Street, and turn right into the gravel lot behind the Street Department garage. Here is a dropped pin showing the precise location of the containers on Google Maps.
Melody Himes, the operations assistant, says the move is the result of a collaboration between the Wastewater Collection Department, which formerly hosted the drop-off site, and the Street Department.
“Over the years, we realized that the Wastewater Collection Department wasn’t the best location for the drop-off site, because it’s a tight spot for both customers and for the trucks that periodically need to empty the containers,” Himes says. “The guys at the Street Department did a phenomenal job setting up the new site, and we think it’s really going to work a lot better for everyone.”
The new site at Baxter Street includes raised wooden platforms to make it easier to dump both yard waste and glass into the containers.
“We think the new location will be even easier for everyone to access and use,” says Himes. “We’re really proud to offer this program and just want to make recycling as simple as possible for the Elkins community.”
Alerts
Starting Jan. 1: No more phone payments
Starting Jan. 1, City of Elkins will no longer accept phone payments for any city bills or services. Learn more.
No Spring Cleanup
Because of the city’s monthly bulk-item pickup program, we will no longer be offering Spring Cleanup. Don’t wait until spring, put your items out each month. Find the schedule for pickups here.
Bulk Pickups Schedule Change
As of the week of October 17, the bulk-item pickup schedule is changing. Find the new schedule here.
Water Issues?
Last modified on May 8th, 2022 at 10:51 am
Got a non-emergency water issue? Report it online by clicking here.
