Wellman City Council – Chicken Flap Resolved

by Mary Coblentz
The Wellman City Council Monday voted to allow Leslie Holmes to keep Daisy and Bertha, her two chickens. A Wellman citizen had complained about the chickens, and last month the council voted to evict the chickens. Holmes appealed, asking and receiving written permission from the council to keep chickens on her property, and the chickens can stay.

It’s the most asinine thing I’ve ever heard of. Dogs barking, kids screaming, and nobody says a word.

Holmes brought signatures of her nearest neighbors in support of the chickens, refuting the complaint that the chickens are noisy.
Wellman resident Ray Curl said, “I’m probably the oldest resident in town. (People are getting) carried away about somebody having a couple of chickens. It’s the most asinine thing I’ve ever heard of. Dogs barking, kids screaming, and nobody says a word.”
The council noted that keeping livestock in city limits will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
In other business, the council:

• discussed a bill from a security company. Wellman Parks and Recreation Director Teresa Lampe had signed a contract with the company, but the council never approved it. The company has been billing the city for services for several months and recently offered to settle for part of the amount they say the city owes. City attorney Dan Kitchen said that this type of situation has “gone to appellate court” and the city is not required to pay for a service not approved by the council;
• approved the third and final readings of five ordinances: setting water rates, setting sewer rates, setting natural gas rates, establishing a storm water drainage utility, and amending provisions of the flood plain regulations;
• approved a resolution to apply for a Washington County Riverboat Foundation grant to complete the downtown improvements project. The grant, if awarded, will provide two additional benches, two trash receptacles, and provide a limestone wall where the railroad ties are in the Bidwell-Slockett Mini Park as well as covering the base of the clock with limestone;
• approved a contract with the Washington County Communications Commission for fiscal year 2008-09. Cost for Wellman is $32,953. Costs for other cities ranges from $210,182 for Washington to $3,248 for West Chester. Rural Washington County residentsa cost is $219,630;
• discussed parking on 9th Avenue near DJ’s Casual Cafe. City Administrator Dave Ross reported to the council that Asbury United Methodist Church would prefer not to have stairs installed on the property, but would rather have those using their parking lot walk to the sidewalk to 9th Avenue to cross the street to DJ’s. The council discussed moving the No Parking sign further north another 10 feet or so, and will leave it up to the Sheriff’s Department to enforce the rules;
• approved a fringe area parcel/plat change for two properties – one belonging to Roy H. Johnson and Wayne E. Johnson Trust and the other belonging to Harriet Kisner. Both are simple divisions of property;
• gave preliminary approval to apply for a housing rehabilitation grant, a program the city has participated in previously. Last year, the city applied but did not get approval; and
• approved change orders for the Parkside Activities Center project: tile and fencing change at a cost of $21,394.80, a water main reroute at a cost of $3,356.24, tile under the building at a cost of $6,890.94, high occupancy modifications at a cost of $21,430.44, and door/hardware changes at a cost of $2,761.