St. Albans council has elected Pat Quinlan to fill the Ward 8 council seat vacated in March by Kevin Pennington.
Council on Monday evening elected Quinlan by unanimous voice vote. He was immediately sworn in by Mayor Dick Callaway. Quinlan will serve until June 2017.
Quinlan was nominated by Ward 9 Councilman Garry Pennington. He was the only candidate for the seat.
A resident of St. Albans since 1950, Quinlan grew up on Monroe Avenue. He worked for Heck's Department Store and retired with more than 41 years of service in human resources from the state of West Virginia. Quinlan was married in 1970. He and his wife have three sons.
Quinlan said he wants to serve on council because he would like to get a better feel for how city government works and he's interested in helping keep St. Albans clean.
Ward 8 includes an area bounded by Kanawha Terrace, Hudson Street, Wilson Avenue and Lincoln Avenue. Quinlan lives at 2410 Lincoln Ave.
Before Kevin Pennington resigned to become superintendent of the city's Parks and Recreation Department, he also was vice mayor and chairman of both the Finance and the Parks and Recreation committees.
Callaway asked City Attorney Charles Riffee during Monday's meeting about the procedure for naming a vice mayor. Riffee promised to report back to Callaway this week.
Meanwhile, new committee chairpersons have not yet been named.
In other action Monday, Ward 1 Councilman Robert Keiffer said CVS wants to purchase an alleyway so that it can build a new store between Tim Horton's and Appalachian Tire.
At Keiffer's request, council referred a petition to close and abandon a portion of an alley between Second and Third streets to the Planning and Zoning Board.
Also at the meeting, council:
n Gave final approval to an ordinance restricting parking in cul-de-sacs.
n Approved a resolution authorizing the designation of a safety zone at 951 Lexington Drive.
n Gave preliminary approval to a petition by Marvin McCallister to re-subdivide a parcel on Mohler Place, which is at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and B Street.
n Agreed to pay $2,606 to Sunbelt Rentals of St. Albans for a floor saw for the streetscape project and agreed to pay outstanding invoices, which total $22,238.
n Accepted, with regret, Fred Roncaglione's letter of resignation from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
n Approved Callaway's appointment of Annie Lane, of 988 Old Point Road, to the Parks and Recreation Committee. Her term will expire in June 2018.
During reports, Ward 7 Councilman Desper Lemon said concerns have been raised about parking on Olde Main and some people have suggested parking meters be installed. He said the situation will be monitored.
Ward 4 Councilwoman Cheryl Thomas reported that during the Spring Take-Back Day on April 30, about 290 pounds of medication were turned in, about 8,000 pounds of paper were shredded and a box full of cellphones were donated. The phones will be refurbished and sent to U.S. military forces overseas.
Ward 2 Councilman Jason Philabaun said during announcements that the first movie night of the season will be at Roadside Park on May 21, the city pool will open May 28, and there will be a father-daughter dance at the high school on June 11. It was noted that the 11th Annual Founders Day will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 14 on Olde Main.
Ward 3 Councilman Ronald Colby III urged everyone to carefully examine State Treasurer John Purdue's unclaimed property list. Colby said he found two people in Ward 3 who are listed as having unclaimed property.
Ward 6 Councilwoman Loretta Griffith said the friends of the Hansford Center received a $6,000 grant to purchase a new freezer and the friends will install a new picnic shelter on the center's grounds at a cost of $22,000. She reminded everyone that the Hansford Center's Mother's Day program and luncheon will begin at 11 a.m. Friday.
Callaway reminded that city offices will be closed on May 10, election day.
During the public forum portion of the meeting, Kevin Pennington, chairman of St. Albans' Project Graduation, pleaded for the community's financial support for the party, which will be from 10 p.m. May 20 to 5 a.m. May 21. Project Graduation is designed to provide high school seniors with a safe graduation party.
Councilman-at-large John Boles Jr., who is fighting health issues, did not attend the meeting.
Council's next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. May 16 on the second floor of the municipal building at 51 Sixth Ave.