Latest news with #ClarksburgCityCouncil
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Clarksburg City Council approves grant to help Clarksburg History Museum
CLARKSBURG, (WBOY) — The Clarksburg History Museum was a central focus during Thursday evening's Clarksburg City Council meeting. Council members approved a one-time emergency grant of $10,000 to support the Clarksburg History Museum, which could face a potential closure due to significant funding cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency. During the meeting, museum representatives shared that, thanks to generous community donations, they have raised approximately $3,000 since the beginning of the month. 'The AmeriCorps, with the cut that the administration made, they lost that money. So, we are helping to keep them afloat. And you know, if anybody would like to make donations, they would greatly appreciate them and accept them,' Clarksburg Mayor Jim Malfregeot said. Another item discussed and approved by the council was a resolution to allocate opioid settlement funds to hire a social worker or a comparable position. The total cost of the hiring is not to exceed $53,652.86. Mayor Malfregeot noted that the individual selected for the role will work in direct collaboration with Police Chief Mark Kiddy. 'If an officer picks up an individual, probably bring them back here and then she or he will be called to come help assist the individual. Yeah, it's huge, because we are trying to clean up the streets of Clarksburg,' Malfregeot said. 'One person at a time, you know, it's not easy. Some of these people want help and some of them don't want help. We are going to go after the ones that want help.' West Virginia Strawberry Festival continues into this weekend In other business, the council unanimously approved a resolution to officially name an unnamed alleyway within the city in honor of a respected community figure and former long-serving municipal employee, the late John Cooper. In his honor, the alley located between North Florence Street and Pinnickinnick Street will now be known as 'Cooper Way.' 'We were lifelong friends, neighborhood friends. I call him family more than friend. I have known him since I was like four years old. So, we go back a long ways,' the Vice President of the Clarksburg Parks and Recreation Board, Kelley Davisson, said. 'Being here tonight and listening to the council members speak so highly working with John, even if there were some disagreements or whatever, John was just that kind of guy that made you smile. And to have this small token for the family is a big undertaking and very much appreciated.' Cooper devoted more than 40 years to public service as Superintendent of Clarksburg City Parks, leaving a lasting legacy through his dedication to maintaining and enhancing the city's green spaces. 'I've mentioned it a couple times and I am going to keep bringing it up, I think we should name the amphitheater after John because what he did with the amphitheater, the splash zone, we have probably the best park system in the state of West Virginia because of him,' Malfregeot added. Council members described the naming as a meaningful recognition of his lifelong contributions to the park system. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dogs barking 15+ minutes is now unlawful in Clarksburg
CLARKSBURG, (WBOY) — The Clarksburg City Council voted to amend and approve a change to its Noisy Dog Ordinance. During the city council meeting on Thursday, Councilman Wayne Worth moved to amend the Noisy Dog ordinance to issue a warning for a first offense, which the council approved. The council then approved the ordinance in a 5-2 vote, making it unlawful to keep a dog that creates frequent or prolonged noise disturbances, particularly between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Clarksburg Police Chief Mark Kiddy Spoke during the meeting regarding the ordinance, saying, 'Last year, I researched, we had less than 50 barking dog complaints for the entire year. Which isn't a huge number, you're talking two or three a month. I've been answering barking dog complaints for 40 years, I mean, we go, we ask them, 'hey, keep your dog quiet,' 80% of the time we leave and it's over with.' The ordinance establishes increased penalties for violations, beginning with a warning for a first offense. A second offense carries a fine of $200 to $500, and a third offense may result in a fine of $300 to $750. It also specifies that violations occurring more than 24 hours apart are treated as separate offenses, but only one violation can be issued to a dog owner within any 24-hour period. Veterans encouraged to attend PACT Act Claims event in Clarksburg Mayor Jim Malfregot said during the meeting that the ordinance is 'an important step in helping maintain the peace and quality of life in our neighborhoods.' He further explained that the ordinance provides the parameters for excessive disruptive dogs with the goal of creating a balanced approach that promotes responsible pet ownership. Under the newly modified ordinance, a dog may not bark continuously for more than 15 minutes during daytime hours, or more than 10 minutes between 10:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. Also, any disruptive barking, regardless of its duration or the time it occurs, may be deemed a disturbance of the peace. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposed Clarksburg ordinance would outlaw owning dogs that bark for 15+ minutes
CLARKSBURG, (WBOY) — The Clarksburg City Council met Thursday evening, where it discussed changes to a Noisy Dog Ordinance it adopted a few years ago. During the meeting, the council unleashed the first reading of the ordinance. The current Noisy Dog Ordinance was passed in 2023, prohibiting residents within city limits from keeping dogs that create excessive noise. The proposed modification would make it unlawful to keep a dog that creates frequent or prolonged noise disturbances, particularly between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Under the modified ordinance, a dog may not bark continuously for more than 15 minutes during daytime hours, or more than 10 minutes between 10:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. Also, any disruptive barking, regardless of its duration or the time it occurs, may be deemed a disturbance of the peace. 'We've gotten numerous complaints from residents that some folks are just leaving their dogs tied up outside, you know, in horrendous weather that we had this past winter, and these dogs are just barking continuously. So, we have to address the situation,' Clarksburg Mayor Jim Malfregeot said. Petition urging Gov. Morrisey to veto microgrids bill gains nearly 1000 signatures Another proposed change allows Animal Control, Code Enforcement or the Police Department to arrest the dog's owner or caretaker if the ordinance is violated instead of giving a citation. The proposed amendments seek to revise the language while recommending more expensive fines for violators. 'I think, I think we visited a lot of these issues in the past, and to me, a lot of this stuff is unenforceable, and it makes it difficult. And it's kind of, you know, personal account type of thing, and you know, I think if there is an issue, it will be seen, but at the end of the day, you know, adding a time limit to barking dogs seems kind of difficult to enforce, and you know, I really don't want the police to be out there enforcing laws that they just can't enforce,' Clarksburg City Council Member Will Hyman said. Under the current ordinance, violators can be cited by an animal control officer, code enforcement official or police officer. If the municipal court determines that a dog exhibits frequent and habitual barking, howling, yelping, crying or squalling that results in unreasonably loud and disruptive noise, the court may order the owner to take action to cease the disturbance or issue a fine. Additionally, the current ordinance outlines specific penalties for violations. A first offense may result in a $50 fine. A second offense carries a fine ranging from $100 to $500, while a third offense may result in a fine between $200 and $500. Additionally, the ordinance clarifies that repeated violations occurring more than 24 hours apart are considered separate offenses. However, only one violation may be issued to a dog owner within any 24-hour period. The first reading of the new ordinance was passed by the council 6-1. The second and final reading will be held on May 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
