No Reimbursements
Businesses request funds from city
The Inter-Mountain photos by Brad Johnson Katie Driver, owner of the Mossy Merchant, speaks during Thursday’s meeting of Elkins City Council’s Finance Committee at City Hall. Driver and other Davis Avenue merchants requested $5,000 per business as reimbursement for shutting down their block during much of the summer.
Elkins business owner Kathy Vance spoke in opposition to the businesses’ request for funding Thursday. Vance spoke during the public comment section of the meeting.
The Inter-Mountain photos by Brad Johnson Katie Driver, owner of the Mossy Merchant, speaks during Thursday’s meeting of Elkins City Council’s Finance Committee at City Hall. Driver and other Davis Avenue merchants requested $5,000 per business as reimbursement for shutting down their block during much of the summer.
Elkins business owner Kathy Vance spoke in opposition to the businesses’ request for funding Thursday. Vance spoke during the public comment section of the meeting.
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ELKINS -- Elkins City Council's Finance Committee heard from four downtown businesses Thursday requesting $5,000 each due to their sales suffering while a block of Davis Avenue was closed for much of the summer.
At the end of the meeting, the Finance Committee voted to take no action on the request, meaning it will not move forward to be considered by Elkins City Council.
was the first business owner to speak during the noon meeting, saying the business owners believe it was unfair to close that block of Davis Avenue for so long in order for renovation on the historic Tygart Hotel to proceed, without considering the other businesses on the block.
The city closed the block for safety reasons repeatedly in July and August due to a large boom lift crane being used in the hotel's renovations.
Other business owners speaking during Thursday's meeting included Thomas Byrd, of Byrd's House of Donuts; Emily Prentice, of Mycelium; and Emily Watson, owner of Clementine's Closet. Watson previously spoke at the Aug. 17 City Council meeting, saying she would be seeking financial reimbursement from the city.
Driver said the other businesses effected include Pioneer Insurance; Pawn Brokers and Sons; Ceramics with Class; Salon Swish; and Trickett Hardware.
"The group is requesting the following: $5,000 from the City of Elkins per business, to be used at the owner's discretion; a monthly block party from April to October in the years 2024 and 2025, with road blocking, event insurance and vendor fees and permits paid by the City of Elkins," Driver said.
Byrd told city officials that his business has "over the last five years seen a steady increase in profits each July, but we saw a 23% decrease in sales (this July) from the previous summer."
All four business owners presented information about how their sales fell in July, and how some had to cut employees' hours.
Watson said the owners appreciated the city allowing a Block Party to take place on Aug. 23, which they felt was a great success, but noted they were apprehensive about the near future.
"Unfortunately, we just learned that the road is closing again next Monday for two to three weeks," Watson said.
After the business owners' presentation, Finance Committee Chairman Mike Hinchman, of Second Ward, said, "Unfortunately, we close streets all the time for different reasons. This wasn't a city project. We had to protect the citizens, and you all, and also the workers, too."
Finance Committee member Rob Chenoweth, of First Ward, also responded to the businesses presenting the city with what he termed "basically a demands letter."
"Downtown businesses are vital to the city, and it's crucial, because the city and downtown businesses go hand-in-hand," Chenoweth said. "We appreciate your investment in the downtown for sure, but the essence of this whole presentation, it's really a legal claim… I'm a lawyer and I analyze these sorts of claims, and it doesn't really seem like there's a claim there.
"The city has to ensure that the city's finances are spent wisely, and to protect the streets for motorists, and make sure that the sidewalks are safe," he said. "Communication could be better for sure. I think that now that we have a Communications Specialist on staff, I think things will improve."
Chenoweth made a motion to take no action on the businesses' request. Both he and Hinchman voted in favor of the motion. The other member of the Finance Committee, Third Ward's Chris Lowther, was not present at the meeting.
During the public comment section of the meeting, prior to the vote, Kathy Vance, owner of Kathy's Decorating and Design on Second Street, spoke against the city reimbursing the Davis Avenue businesses.
"In 2015, the City of Elkins did a storm/sewer line separation and Davis Avenue at that time was closed to vehicular traffic for several months. Many businesses were impacted at that time ... At no point during that time did any of the businesses expect to be reimbursed for any lost income," she said. "We just accepted it. It was part of what the city needed to do."