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ELKINS -- City Hall is expected to re-open on Oct. 5 to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Oct. 15, officials state.
During Elkins City Council’s most rexent meeting, Operations Manager Michael Kesecker reported that the re-opening date for Elkins City Hall would have be pushed back again due to a late delivery of ADA-compliant handrails.
“We anticipated having the rails on the handicap ramp delivered on Tuesday of this week (Sept. 15) and installed,” Kesecker told the Council. “They’re being delivered on Tuesday of next week (Sept. 22). So, we can’t open the building without those railed because it’s the ADA-compliant ramp.”
Elkins City Hall has been closed for restoration and recovery work since Aug. 31, 2024, after a sewage overflow incident flooded the building’s basement and first floor, including the Elkins Police Department. The Elkins Police Department returned to City Hall this June.
The initial re-opening date was scheduled for Aug. 31, but after an equipment accident damaged the front of City Hall in August, the date was pushed to Sept. 15, and then to Sept. 21.
Kesecker told Council that, after speaking with the contractors, the architect and with Elkins Treasurer Tracy Judy, whose department was scheduled to move back into the building on Sept. 21, it was decided to hold off on re-opening City Hall until after the Mountain State Forest Festival. The festival is scheduled for Sept. 26 through Oct. 3.
“With Forest Festival coming up, we don’t want to do any type of moving over Forest Festival week,” Kesecker said. “We just think that would be a total mess up to try and do that.”
Kesecker explained officials will start assembling all office furniture on Sept. 21 and continue that process for the next week or week and a half. He also noted that the City Hall elevator will be functioning “to a degree” to help them move furniture into the offices.
Though he stated that he did not want to speak on behalf of Judy, Kesecker said he believed City Hall could be fully re-opened to the public on the same day, Oct. 5.
“We’ve been out for two years,” Kesecker said. “Instead of trying to rush and do stuff during Forest Festival week, let’s open City Hall on Monday the fifth and everybody will be happy.”
To celebrate the return to Elkins City Hall, Kesecker announced that the City would have a Grand Re-opening Ceremony and a ribbon cutting on Oct. 15. Refreshments will be provided in the lobby of the building. The starting time of the ceremony will be announced at a later date.
“We want everyone that’s been a part of this to be there and be excited for it, and we’re there,” Kesecker said. “…we are really hopeful that, if it’s at the right timing, our next council meeting will be in the council chambers at City Hall.”
City Council has voted to cancel its Oct. 1 meeting due to it being scheduled during the week of the Forest Festival. The Elkins City Council will meet again on Oct. 15.