St. Albans Councilman Kevin Pennington has resigned to become superintendent of the city's Parks and Recreation Department.
Pennington's resignation from council was effective March 29. His letter of resignation was accepted at Monday evening's council meeting "with reluctance," Mayor Dick Callaway said.
Pennington, an 11-year veteran of the council, represented Ward 8, which includes an area bounded by Kanawha Terrace, Hudson Street, Wilson Avenue and Lincoln Avenue.
Callaway said nominations to fill the Ward 8 seat will be taken from council members at council's April 18 meeting.
The nominees will be given an opportunity to appear before council at a subsequent meeting to provide background about themselves and explain why they would like to serve on council. At a meeting to follow, council members will cast ballots to decide who will fill the seat. That person will serve until June 2017.
Pennington noted in his resignation letter that from the beginning of his service on council in November 2005, he wanted to help develop the Parks and Recreation Department. He served on the Parks and Recreation Committee the entire time he was on council and served as chairman the past four years.
Callaway said Pennington was effective as chairman. Becoming superintendent "gives him more opportunity to be involved with the department," Callaway said. "He also takes the lead on Project Graduation with the high school, which is something he will continue to do, I'm sure."
The city advertised for the position and Pennington was deemed the most qualified applicant, Callaway said.
St. Albans has seven parks. The department also oversees special events that include the Haunted Trail, Festival of Lights and RiverFest.
Pennington succeeds Timmy Russell as superintendent. Russell has been reassigned in the department, Callaway said. Pennington's salary is $45,000 a year, the mayor said.
Pennington's resignation leaves city council with a leadership vacuum. In addition to representing Ward 8 and serving as chairman of the Parks and Recreation Committee, he was vice mayor and chairman of the Finance Committee.
Pennington became finance chairman over a year ago when the former chairman, Councilman-at-large John Boles Jr., became ill. Boles has not attended a council meeting for 13 months because of health issues.
On Monday evening Callaway did not name a new vice mayor, Finance Committee chairman or Parks and Recreation Committee chairman. He said council will be asked to vote for one of their number to be vice mayor following their election of a new Ward 8 representative to council.
In other action Monday evening, council agreed to pay $2,576 to Rocky Fork Enterprizes of Dunbar for repairs to the drug unit vehicle and to pay current invoices, which total $10,985.
Also, council unanimously agreed to the re-appointment of Callaway to the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority with a term to expire in 2020.
During announcements, Callaway said the annual city-wide spring clean-up will begin on April 25 and end on May 6. The schedule: April 25, Ward 1; April 26, Ward 2; April 27, Ward 3; April 28, Ward 4; April 29, Ward 5; May 2, Ward 6; May 3, Ward 7; May 4, Ward 8; May 5, Ward 9; and May 6, entire city.
Callaway also announced that the city's annual "Roundup, Clean-up, Ship-Out" event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 30 in the municipal building parking lot on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Unwanted drugs can dropped off for proper disposal, unwanted papers can be shredded, and old cellphones can be dropped off to be donated to soldiers.
In addition, Callaway said the city has three new businesses: O'Reilly Auto Parts, in the Gateway Shopping Center; Lil' Bit of Heaven Cupcakes, which is offering an expanded line of products and sit-down service on Main Street; and Marco's Pizza, in the building on Sixth Avenue previously occupied by Wendy's.
Pennington, who attended the meeting as the new parks superintendent, announced that there will be a grade-school dance from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday at water company basement. He said the annual nature hike will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in City Park.
During the public forum John Roach, a 25-year resident of 218 Carson St., complained about neighbors who litter near his property. Roach said the house at 220 Carson St. is owned and rented by Keiffer Realty and he claimed the residents litter often.
Ward 1 Councilman Robert J. Keiffer is listed on Keiffer Realty's website as the company's broker and real estate agent. He did not attend Monday evening's council meeting and could not immediately be reached for comment.
Roach said he can't get any action from the city.
"I'm tired of picking up trash in front of my home and up and down the street," he said. "It's not fair for me to have to pick up all of the trash."
Callaway promised he will give the appropriate addresses to city workers today to see if they are aware of and working on the problem.
Also, Walter Hall, president of the 25177 Foundation, said the foundation had 150 volunteers from nine youth groups and their parents pick up more than 500 bags of trash across the city Saturday. The foundation's next clean-up will be on June 4 along MacCorkle Avenue from Crawford Field to Jefferson.
Dave Allen of LM Communications, which owns several radio stations, said WSCW, The Light 1410, is launching a local call-in show, "Dave Allen Live," from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. weekdays.
"We'll talk politics and current events," he said.
Cecilia "Cecil" Thomas asked citizens to vote for her for magistrate and Dave Tucker asked citizens to vote for him for sheriff.
In addition to Keiffer, Ward 6 Councilwoman Loretta Griffith and Councilman-at-large Boles did not attend Monday's meeting.
Council's next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. April 18 on the second floor of the municipal building, 51 Sixth Ave.