The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

July 16, 2008

Woman needs water line

By Christian Giggenbach

A Greenbrier County man appealed to Lewisburg City Council Tuesday night asking the governing body to extend their water lines far enough to help an elderly woman.

Clayton Tyree told council the 63-year-old woman has been living in the same household for 24 years and has to hire someone to fill a 1,000 gallon water tank, even though she lives just outside the city limits.

“When the water tank gets low, she has to get rain water in order to flush the toilet,” Tyree, who also lives outside city limits, said. “I think we should do something about this. I think this is terrible. She lives only two miles from city hall and her property adjoins the city limits.”

Lewisburg Mayor John Manchester said if she lived inside city limits, she would be guaranteed water service, but in order to extend the lines, money would have to be raised, or borrowed, and water rates could possibly rise as a result.

“Let’s look at all of the options that we can come up with and then report that back to the Public Works Committee,” Manchester told council.

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In other action, a representative of the Lewisburg Foundation approached council to complain about a vacant building in downtown Lewisburg.

Brandon Johnson asked council to consider passing an ordinance which would entice building owners to ensure their properties are rented and also keep their perimeters free of unsightly debris.

“When you walk around the back you have five feet high weeds and abandoned cinder blocks,” Johnson said.

Manchester said the council will “have an active discussion” about the issue “while we beef up our city ordinances.”

— E-mail: cgiggenbach@register-herald.com



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