[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6280617,"mediaKeyId","2612865-6f5f2e6ccee6fd31ec4f05e060b8ffa3","parentId",2612865,"title","Votes at a glance: Vienna council approves cleaning contract, Wood County EDA agreement, PRO grant, internal transfers and other measures","audioSeconds",875,"startMs",485000,"endMs",1360000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2612865-6f5f2e6ccee6fd31ec4f05e060b8ffa3&start=485&end=1360","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2612865-6f5f2e6ccee6fd31ec4f05e060b8ffa3/thumbnail_485000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6280617/Vienna/Wood-County/West-Virginia/Votes-at-a-glance-Vienna-council-approves-cleaning-contract-Wood-County-EDA-agreement-PRO-grant-internal-transfers-and-other-measures","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280617-d67864ee5ecb1d64184b1b0817922d9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775969528&Signature=YC8gAelUYzPugals6DJxu162e1KARtw593y9tq8Dz0ucp3eBMpFBLYd1G8o6tLa1YQAaFBtdiVHauXSp2C1x7EAog5354q2IN15zjKJxtSn0JMDTmyuwxWXvKQNn~svnDfqgwkpmsC72535p7u5cQLs3Y4TxpMF2YoFxPVbChXllHTP2Pvt4w3lIPfS3RSz4dtMLcVOctBmNMY6oQxicpJnv8PrChurAuu4zGX6o4wq4uvwwu1O24h3WHjoptMHMT7L77azjLUqK-U6zStmR78KMUbcKwD2gGvdzpMyko6TrnxwLJWWPdPq7rpyerWjHAvtPW-OGqpkmj6Jqspu8cA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Vienna, WV","date","2025-03-13T22:16:50Z","article","At its March 6 meeting the Vienna Common Council recorded the following formal actions and outcomes.

- Cleaning contract: After solicitation of sealed bids, the council accepted the recommendation from the budget & finance committee and approved a cleaning-services contract with Nolan Services LLC at $6,250 per month. The motion passed unanimously.

- Internal budget revision No. 3: The council approved internal transfers described in the memorandum (moving $6,000 between line items for building and grounds repairs and $10,000 among insurance and uniform/supplies lines). Motion passed unanimously.

- Wood County Economic Development Authority agreement: The council approved a resolution authorizing acceptance of an agreement with the Wood County Economic Development Authority in the amount of $75,000. Some council members noted dated language in the draft and asked that a finalized contract be provided; the resolution passed unanimously in principle.

- Appointment of project development coordinator: The council approved the appointment of Jack Mathers as project development coordinator under a consultant agreement (see separate article for debate and detail). Motion passed unanimously.

- PRO program grant: The council approved a resolution accepting the PRO program grant and authorized Mayor Chad African to act on the city's behalf to receive and administer the funds; the motion passed unanimously.

- General fund budget (FY25-26): The council moved to accept the FY25-26 general fund and coal severance budgets as presented and adopted multiple in-meeting amendments; the motion to advance the budget passed 6-1. Several line-item amendments passed unanimously; the final, balanced budget will be presented at the next meeting for formal adoption.

Notable failed motions:

- An amendment proposed to change subcontractor payment language and to add explicit limiting language that would cap expenditures at $25,000 under a consultant agreement was put to the body and did not pass (vote recorded as failing; a separate related amendment later failed 6-1). A motion to table the Mathers appointment failed 5-2.

All other routine items on the agenda, including minutes approval from a special meeting and the treasurer's reconciliation, were approved or recorded as presented. Several votes were recorded as unanimous in the meeting transcript. If the council later files finalized contracts or additional written documents they will appear in the official minutes and contract files.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Council Meeting 03 13 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council approved a bundle of routine and substantive actions including a cleaning-services contract, a $75,000 agreement with the Wood County Economic Development Authority, acceptance of a PRO program grant, and internal budget transfers; the general fund budget was advanced 6-1.","taxTitle","Vienna, Wood County, West Virginia","taxId",71348,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6280621,"Vienna council adopts FY25-26 budget with targeted amendments after heated debate over staffing and spending priorities",345,2943000,3288000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2612865-6f5f2e6ccee6fd31ec4f05e060b8ffa3&start=2943&end=3288","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2612865-6f5f2e6ccee6fd31ec4f05e060b8ffa3/thumbnail_2943000.jpg","/articles/6280621/Vienna/Wood-County/West-Virginia/Vienna-council-adopts-FY25-26-budget-with-targeted-amendments-after-heated-debate-over-staffing-and-spending-priorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280621-eff3b5b265c504fc18572846214ff0cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775969528&Signature=QZ0Qv2xjg~vOFy2rt90cM6TLbOZkeXDdPg1Xdvfu6YXHcJf7KNbkIvQW6sWHjNSvjisGVXDNnHW~yeb0cIHeNjUpuC1sV9J7oQSuo74JwQRfQKOJLiRtYoRPbi1YsYFnakM0A6V-~FGNWQzzWIKq~DC6WR9~Bvw9feaT4KLtZzx5WApuzQYIEteyG~ZBakycdDb0pCX6yW7aAeiYDziQTuKX9OxTmMdB0~KpahoCs1ylq3K7zTmxsxb0o8hRtR~kAfUp6q3LCu9d3fjZl-L6pUjDyjYH0fvbHv8-H4C19SVPr88gci9hBSGeRJbAN3IFRpTLcGmvQuCBV79iep17zA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Vienna Common Council voted 6-1 to move forward with the 2025-26 general fund and coal severance budget, approving amendments made during the meeting that reallocated existing capital funds to parks roof repairs and approved a replacement tractor.

The council removed a $37,569 line item to refinish the recreation building floor and instead funded three roofing projects totaling $22,447; the leftover funds were used to buy a replacement 25-horsepower tractor for $15,122. All three amendments were approved by voice vote and recorded as passing unanimously. The meeting record shows the budget as presented, with the council's mid-meeting amendments, will be finalized in two weeks after staff balances the numbers.

Council debate grew heated over staffing levels and compensation. Councilman Henry Sassen argued structural changes were needed and said, \"I ran for office for a reason. I wanna make a difference,\" while other council members and the mayor defended current staffing levels and the department heads' work. Mayor Chad African stressed fiscal prudence and operational realities and said, \"If I can lay my head down on my pillow at night and feel good about what I did, then at the end of the day, that's what it was all for.\" The mayor and other council members noted the city's reserves and repeated that department heads had reduced budget requests compared with prior years.

Councilwoman Tammy Rhodes proposed a motion to reduce salaries and benefits across all departments by 10%; the motion failed for lack of a second and did not go to a vote. Council members said major, structural staffing reviews would require a longer process in coordination with human resources and finance rather than a last-minute amendment during budget approval.

The council also approved internal budget revision number 3 (moving funds between line items to repair a leaking gas line and reallocate training and supplies), and voted to accept a PRO program grant for law enforcement; both passed unanimously.

Finance staff (Amy Roberts) said the council would reconvene in two weeks for final approval after amendments are entered and the budget is balanced. The council instructed staff to prepare the final balanced budget for the scheduled final vote.

The meeting record shows multiple votes on discrete line-item amendments and that the larger budget adoption proceeds with the council's requested report-back and opportunity for further changes before final adoption.","Council approved the city's FY25-26 general fund and coal severance budgets, passed several amendment reallocations for parks projects and equipment, and rejected a motion for an across-the-board 10% cut to salaries and benefits.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6280627,"Vienna council appoints Jack Mathers as project development coordinator after debate over subcontracting and contract language",1269,1367000,2636000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2612865-6f5f2e6ccee6fd31ec4f05e060b8ffa3&start=1367&end=2636","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2612865-6f5f2e6ccee6fd31ec4f05e060b8ffa3/thumbnail_1367000.jpg","/articles/6280627/Vienna/Wood-County/West-Virginia/Vienna-council-appoints-Jack-Mathers-as-project-development-coordinator-after-debate-over-subcontracting-and-contract-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280627-b5ff8691be396a2871f73425be72b1f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1775969528&Signature=PTY-KxBSzU7IC-22xhXi38t24d1GXkkCb4WWhNP1IyRJ7zeYg2dsi73nvl-LpLTlbj652S4V7sWbEj3JLy-HEw2uFIAgDkb-Sme-Hc07rDfGPcTMMwdaAhknu5lazyFaeHAxv4FwSp~4wAKUyso8KkGJbYbSX2w-ZkD-1ZjCYyLUeOx6P6~qtGUxIFH5NVZoGT~TCFQp3x-DnwSzGCHSoTWopulZ3RriK7GY-Nb6yjSjVlgDy5FOH-gElRH9VF9xwovQb5MtAWCleE4KKCOkcMTGubXTC70XiRoAXctsJYy4T1pP2kAuwl7LF5-vfGD4YUE66mDazXCDw2QEN8g~Qw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Vienna Common Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution appointing consultant Jack Mathers as the city's project development coordinator, after an extended discussion about contract language and limits on subcontracting.

Council members debated whether the agreement should cap total expenditures and change how subcontractor payments are handled. Council member Tammy Rhodes urged removing a clause that would allow the city to pay subcontractors directly, saying, \"I would like to remove the section that says the client will pay the compensation to the consultant.\" Rhodes also proposed amending the contract to add a clear cap so that \"in no event will the funds expended under this agreement be in excess of $25,000 including expenditures for subcontractors.\"

The city attorney, speaking for the administration, said the consultant would be responsible for any subcontractor payments within the $25,000 contract limit and that the funding cap is effectively enforced by the compensation clause. As the attorney explained, \"Jack has $25,000 that he can spend here either for himself or individuals that he needs to hire to accomplish some portion of the goal... That has to come out of that $25,000.\"

Council members pressed several additional questions about scope. Rhodes and others asked for quarterly updates to council so members could track how the consultant's time and any subcontractor work were being used. Supporters of the appointment said the consultant role is intended to be flexible and focused on local projects such as Spencer's Landing and other redevelopment sites, not general business recruitment.

Two different proposed amendments to the draft agreement failed. A motion to add explicit language capping total expenditures and altering the subcontracting payment provision did not pass; a later motion to delete a specific sentence about the city paying subcontractors also failed. A separate motion to table consideration of the appointment failed 5-2.

After those votes the council adopted the resolution to engage Mathers under the consultant arrangement. The mayor and multiple council members encouraged staff and Mathers to provide a finalized draft contract and periodic reports to council so members can track progress and expenditures.

City officials said the contract is structured as a one-year agreement renewable up to three years, subject to funding and council approval, and that the consultant contract was modeled to preserve the consultant's status as an independent contractor rather than an employee.

Council members who raised concerns said those issues focused on clarity in the written contract rather than opposition to Mathers' work. The vote to approve the appointment was unanimous.

The council asked staff to return a finalized contract for review and directed that council receive reporting on the consultant's activities at intervals to be determined.","The Vienna Common Council unanimously approved hiring consultant Jack Mathers as the city's project development coordinator but rejected proposed changes to subcontracting language and a $25,000 spending cap; council members requested a finalized contract be shared before implementation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Vienna council approves cleaning contract, Wood County EDA agreement, PRO grant, internal transfers and other measures

Vienna council adopts FY25-26 budget with targeted amendments after heated debate over staffing and spending priorities

Vienna council appoints Jack Mathers as project development coordinator after debate over subcontracting and contract language