St. Albans Council elected Ward 7 Councilman Desper Lemon vice mayor on Monday evening, and Mayor Dick Callaway swore in two new police officers.
As vice mayor, Lemon will fill in when Callaway is absent. Lemon, who has served on council since 2006, was unopposed and his election was by unanimous voice vote. He thanked his fellow council members for their vote and said he takes the responsibility seriously.
The position of vice mayor became vacant in March when Kevin Pennington resigned to become superintendent of the city's Parks and Recreation Department.
Pennington had represented Ward 8 on council and had served as vice mayor. The vacant council position was filled earlier this month when council elected Pat Quinlan to represent Ward 8 until June 2017.
Pennington also had been chairman of both the Finance and the Parks and Recreation committees. On Monday evening, Callaway moved to fill vacancies on those and other committees.
Callaway appointed Quinlan to the Parks Committee and the Senior Board of Directors, Ward 9 Councilman Garry Pennington to the Finance and Public Works committees, and Councilwoman Cheryl Thomas to the Public Safety Committee.
Members of the Finance Committee will elect one of their number to serve as chairman, as will members of the Parks and Recreation Committee.
A large crowd of family and friends was on hand as Derrick Scott and Tyler Mullins were sworn in as police officers.
Scott, 20, is a St. Albans resident. He is a 2013 graduate of St. Albans High School. He previously worked in the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department.
Mullins, 29, is a resident of Teays Valley. He is a 2005 graduate of Winfield High School and a 2013 graduate of West Virginia State University. He is a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve.
In other action Monday evening, Ward 3 Councilman Ronald Colby presented a petition from residents of Forest Brook Drive to be annexed into the city.
The request was referred to the Annexation Committee.
Also at the meeting, council agreed to pay:
| $7,460 to Cheap Swimming Pool Products for a diving board and slide for the city pool. Leslie Pool bid $7,500 and Pool Supply Unlimited bid $8,512.
| $5,700 to West Virginia Tractor to repair a truck.
| Current invoices, which total $11,916.
Council gave final approval to an ordinance re-subdividing a parcel on Mohler Place, at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and B Street.
During announcements, Callaway noted that city and Municipal Utility Commission offices will be closed on May 30, for the Memorial Day holiday.
Ward 2 Councilman Jason Philabaun announced the Parks and Recreation Department will show "The Good Dinosaur" during movie night May 21 at Roadside Park.
Lemon said high grass near the high school was a topic of discussion last week during a meeting of Ward 7 Neighborhood Watch. Callaway said the person who owns the property has been notified by certified mail that they are in violation of a city ordinance.
The mayor read a letter from Kanawha County Truancy Diversion Specialist Frances Pack commending the city for its Truancy Court.
Callaway also showed off a trophy awarded to the city by the state Department of Environmental Protection for the city's charity car wash station, which the agency called "a novel approach in preventing stormwater pollution."
Councilman-at-large John Boles Jr., Ward 1 Councilman Robert Keiffer and Ward 4 Councilwoman Cheryl Thomas did not attend Monday's meeting.
Council's next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. June 6 on the second floor of the municipal building at 51 Sixth Ave.