A long discussed agreement between the Village of West Jefferson and developer MTB Corp. was finalized Sept. 4.
Council unanimously passed emergency legislation authorizing the same Community Reinvestment Area and Tax Increment Finance agreements with MTB as they made a few months ago with developer Duke Realty.
Council approved the legislation following assurances from village attorney Ron Parsons that all council requests of MTB have been received in writing. Those requests included deeding over to the village two strips of land bordering MTB’s property and dedicating an existing water tower, pump station and water and sewer lines on MTB’s land to the village.
The small strips will be annexed into the village, so that the property becomes contiguous to the village, an important factor for any future annexations related to the village’s commerce park area.
Duke Realty conceptual plan OK’d
In other business, council passed a resolution accepting an initial conceptual site plan from Duke Realty. Prior to the vote, councilmen Ron Garver and Scott Hockenbery questioned the legal ramifications of accepting a conceptual site plan that includes traffic pattern and building design issues yet to be resolved.
Rick Snyder, chairman of West Jefferson’s Planning and Zoning Commission, said the resolution was an initial step for site development and was only a conceptual plan as described.
“The developer still has to come before Planning and Zoning with a finalized plan before anything is concrete,’’ Snyder said.
Citizen helps in burglary case
Council commended village resident Angela Trein for helping to apprehend a burglary suspect at her neighbor’s home on Aug. 18.
Mayor Tom Phillips said the request for the commendation came from village’s police officers. They said Trein not only alerted police to the burglary attempt but also testified in court against the suspect. The testimony allowed for the suspect to be bound over to the Madison County grand jury during arraignment procedures later that month.
Race Street may become Lucky Alley
An ordinance to rename Race Street in the village to Lucky Alley, in memory of resident Glenn Webb, was read on first reading. By village charter, a hearing must be held before council can pass the ordinance on second reading. The hearing will be held on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. in council chambers.
“As a bus driver for Jefferson Local Schools, Glenn Webb made a conscious effort when driving sports teams, most notably the West Jefferson Roughriders football teams, to away contests, to never leave the village with the team without exiting via ‘Lucky Alley,’ so as to ensure victory for the Roughriders,’’ council said in the resolution.
Dedication ceremonies for the street renaming are set for Sept. 24, the first anniversary of Webb’s death.
• Council also approved Phillip’s recommendation to reappoint Rick Snyder to another three-year term on the Planning and Zoning Commission. Snyder’s current term expires on Jan. 2, 2008.
