FAIRPOINT The Wheeling Township Board of Trustees will showcase their new building this Sunday at an open house to help celebrate the township's 200th birthday. It will be held f rom 2-4 p.m., and everyone in the community is invited. There will be refreshments.
The former building was about 70 years old, and it was heavily damaged in the 2003 floods which hit Belmont County. "Our board of trustees decided to build a new one, and we applied for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency," said Stanley Pempek, one of the trustees.
Over the decades, a number of additions had been added to the old facility. The spacious new building is located on the site of the old building off Ohio 9 in Fairpoint. The old facility was razed, as was a neighboring property which was purchased by the township.
Article Photos
T-L Photo/ERIC AYRES
WHEELING TOWNSHIP invites the public to an open house this Sunday from 2-4 p.m. to celebrate the township’s 200th birthday and to view the new township building, located on Ohio 9 in Fairpoint. From left are Wheeling Township Trustees Stanley Pempek, Rich Verardi and Bill Androsko, and Wheeling Township Fiscal Officer Mike Butler.
The new building is of block and steel construction and measures 50 feet by 100 feet. The garage has five bays where the township equipment and materials are stored. It is handicapped accessible and has restrooms for both men and women. There is also a meeting room.
All State Construction of Elm Grove, W.Va., built the building at a cost of approximately $350,000. According to the trustees, the township had to contribute about 12.5 percent of the total cost. The state's contribution was 12.5 percent and the remaining 75 percent came from FEMA.
The new building was erected late last year and was officially opened in February.
While the old building was being demolished and the new one was under construction, the trustees used the Fairpoint Mennonite Church for its meetings. The trustees said they appreciate the kindness of the church for permitting them to use their facilities while construction was underway.
The trustees stressed that the building is a township building and belongs to all the residents of Wheeling Township.
