Facilities Committee  — Charleston, WV
Date: 2021-04-01
Time: 17:30

CITY OF CHARLESTON
 West Virginia
 Council Member – AT LARGE

Jennifer Pharr Facilities Committee, Chair
3 Lambert Place Unit #3 Urban Renewal Committee
 Charleston, WV 25314
Telephone: 304‐615‐7574
jennifer.pharr@cityofcharleston.org




TO: Facilities Committee
FROM: Jennifer Pharr, Chair
RE: Committee Meeting

 UNTIL FURTER NOTICE, MEETINGS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC VIA ZOOM

 There will be a Committee meeting of Facilities on April 1, 2021 – 5:30 PM

*Join via internet:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83507784606?pwd=dnljRmExZWxzQ2pZZW41VmJWeFh3dz09
Passcode: 774692
*Join via Telephone: (312) 626‐6799 or (929) 436‐2866
Webinar ID: 835 0778 4606
Agenda available on CivicClerk: https://charlestonwv.civicclerk.com

The agenda will be as follows:

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

 1. 2‐23‐2021

UPDATE ON 601 MORRIS STREET BUILDING

UPDATE WITH THE NEW MANAGEMENT STAFF AT THE COVENTION CENTER

ADJOURNMENT




JP/ns




 City Council | 501 Virginia Street, East | Post Office Box 2749 | Charleston, West Virginia 25330
 www.charlestonwv.gov | 304.348.8179 | 304.348.8038 fax

CITY OF CHARLESTON
 West Virginia
 Council Member – AT LARGE

Jennifer Pharr Facilities Committee, Chair
3 Lambert Place Unit #3 Urban Renewal Committee
 Charleston, WV 25314
Telephone: 304‐615‐7574
jennifer.pharr@cityofcharleston.org




TO: Facilities Committee
FROM: Jennifer Pharr, Chair
RE: Committee Meeting

 UNTIL FURTER NOTICE, MEETINGS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC VIA ZOOM

 There will be a Committee meeting of Facilities on April 1, 2021 – 5:30 PM

*Join via internet:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83507784606?pwd=dnljRmExZWxzQ2pZZW41VmJWeFh3dz09
Passcode: 774692
*Join via Telephone: (312) 626‐6799 or (929) 436‐2866
Webinar ID: 835 0778 4606
Agenda available on CivicClerk: https://charlestonwv.civicclerk.com

The agenda will be as follows:

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

 1. 2‐23‐2021

UPDATE ON 601 MORRIS STREET BUILDING

UPDATE WITH THE NEW MANAGEMENT STAFF AT THE COVENTION CENTER

ADJOURNMENT




JP/ns




 City Council | 501 Virginia Street, East | Post Office Box 2749 | Charleston, West Virginia 25330
 www.charlestonwv.gov | 304.348.8179 | 304.348.8038 fax

 Page | 1 of
 MINUTES
 FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING

 5:30 P. M., FEBRUARY 24, 2021

 A/V CONFERENCE ROOM

Jennifer Pharr, Chairperson, called the meeting of the Charleston City Council Committee
on Facilities to order at 5:30p.m., FEBRUARY 24, 2020, in the Audio/Visual Room in City
Hall.

Committee Members Present:
Jennifer Pharr, Chair
Courtney Persinger
Naomi Bays
Brady Campbell
Sam Minardi
Chad Robinson
Shannon Snodgrass


 1. Approval of Previous Minutes – Councilmember Campbell moved to approve the
minutes of the previous meeting on 3-2-2020. Councilmember Minardi seconded. There
was no objection and the minutes were approved.

 2. Discussion with Current Tenants –
Councilmember Campbell stated that in late December, Jamie Dickenson (owner of
Yoga Power) reached out to him with complaints and concerns about 601 Morris Street.
During the colder weather, people had been utilizing the building to do drugs, sleep,
etc., as well as damaging and vandalizing the building. He began working with the
Administration with ideas of how to safeguard the building. For instance, there used to
be a feature that would lock the elevator from accessing a floor during off hours.

Dickenson added that she is in the 5th year of her lease. When she first moved in, the
building was full and well kept. Now there are many vacancies. When they leave at
night, her business locks the stairwell doors and bathrooms. She added that the
problems really started in November. The group from the University of Charleston was
loud and disruptive to her business. She met with the Director of General Services to
walk with him around the building and asked why the outside doors couldn’t be locked.
Additionally, they have found doors propped open, people sleeping in the stairwells and
needles in the stairwells. She felt like the majority of the problems could be fixed if the
security systems that are in place were implemented properly.

 Councilmember Campbell shared pictures with the Committee taken during his recent
trip to the building that showed vandalism, unsanitary conditions, burn marks and bodily


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fluids in the stairwells. He noted that anyone can access the basement, which contains
valuable equipment, the electrical system, internet for the building and the security
systems for the building. He noted broken sewage pipes and bags of keys left by the
previous tenants.

Councilmember Snodgrass asked how the building got to this point, and if there was a
maintenance schedule etc. City Manager, Jonathan Storage, replied that there is a
dedicated custodial staff assigned to the building. However, the City had recently
struggled to fill a retirement within that Department, and its resources were stretched
thin. They have recently filled that vacancy, so there will now be someone back to full
time at the Morris Building. He added that some of those issues had already been
addressed. Storage stated that the University of Charleston Baseball team has never
had authority from the City to utilize any of the baseball facilities there, adding that issue
has been remedied. The City has reached out to a security firm to conduct an
assessment of the doors and other security systems. The CPD has dedicated some of
their resources to patrol the building during the evening and night. The Police Academy
Association and the NOA group will also be relocated to the first floor of that building.
He added that they are also consulting with a real estate agent about marketing the
open vacancies. He will be getting in touch with the General Maintenance manager to
discuss how to correct issues such as securing access to the basement or access to
keys left.

Deb Weinstein, from the YWCA (that occupies the Mel Wolfe and Sojourner’s
buildings), stated that they have had a good relationship with the City; the General
Maintenance Manager has been very helpful. There has been a drug issue at
Sojourner’s, as opposed to the Mel Wolfe facility which is completely fenced. In early
2017, needles and drugs were being snuck into the Sojourner’s facility. They have
implemented periodic searched with drug dogs as well as thorough bag searches upon
entry to the building.

Councilmember Robinson asked if the issues with Morris Street Building are recent, due
to Covid-19 and lack of baseball games being played. Dickenson replied that the
building was very active when the baseball team was there, and there was always a
police presence during baseball games. She started to notice problems after the team
left the building. There have always been problems with the outside doors being open.
Mayor Goodwin added that they have been working on keeping baseball in the City, and
will have an announcement the following day.

Councilmember Minardi asked Weinstein if there had been any incidents in which an
employee or volunteer had been stuck with a needle, and had there been an increase in
needle and drug use during the pandemic. Weinstein replied that there was a definite
increase in 2017, adding that it has been consistently bad since. They refer their clients
with addiction to Health Right. She was aware of at least one incident in which someone
working on their duct work was stuck by a needle.

Councilmember Snodgrass added that she hoped they can do better, and asked if there



February 23, 2021

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was an action plan to follow up with tenants. Mayor Goodwin added that, in addition to
Storage’s previous statement, she will be there every week and they will be given
a written report. Dickenson added that she was appreciative of the City’s response.
Weinstein added that the Mayor does not need to visit their facilities every week; their
relationship with the City is very positive and there have been no concerns.

Councilmember Robinson added that the problem will most likely resolve itself with
increased activity in the building. They need to ensure that the building is cleaned up
and safe for the tenants.


 3. Discussions of Current City Leases – Executive Session -
Councilmember Bays motioned to move into executive session due to the discussion of
City leases being a sensitive matter. Councilmember Snodgrass seconded the motion.
With no objection, the Committee moved into Executive Session.

Councilmember Bays motioned to leave Executive Session. Councilmember Snodgrass
seconded the motion. With no objection, the Committee ended the Executive Session.

 4. Old Business/ New Business –
Councilmember Pharr announced that the Committee had returned from Executive
Session.




Councilmember Minardi motioned to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned.



February 23, 2021

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