T
he Charleston City Council on Tuesday approved a bill that asks voters to continue the municipality’s excess levy, which is up for renewal.
Council members agreed to keep the excess levy at its current rate, which would help fund the city’s police, fire, and recreation departments through 2030.
“This is just the continuance of our excess levy,” council member Joseph Jenkins, who chairs the city’s finance committee, said.
In West Virginia, excess levies must be renewed by voters every few years.
Charleston property owners would continue to be taxed at the current five percent rate. For owners of Class I properties, that would amount to 5.03 cents in additional tax for every $100 in assessed property.
Class II properties would be charged 10.06 cents for every $100, while Class IV properties would pay 20.12 cents.
“This has been the same rate for two decades or longer,” Jenkins said.
Council members unanimously approved the bill on Tuesday, with all but one council member present for the vote.
Ward 19 council member Brent Burton was absent from the Jan. 20 meeting.
The excess levy will now be added to the May 12 primary ballot, so city residents can vote on its passage.
Pool repairs, Capital Connector funding
Also on Tuesday, city council members authorized the transfer of more than $2.3 million from the city’s sinking fund to help pay for two renovation projects within the city.
One of the projects would provide upgrades to the Cato Park pool.
“Our city pools are in dire need of significant work,” council member Jenkins said. “It will take approximately $2 million to get [Cato Park pool] up to speed so it remains open with as few closures [as possible] this summer.”
On Tuesday, council members gave their OK for city leaders to apply for a grant to help cover pool improvement expenses, but the grant requires $1 million in matching funds. So the panelists voted to send $1 million from the sinking fund to match the grant monies.
That left just over $1.3 million in the sinking fund transfer, which council members decided to apply to a second — and much more expensive — renovation project.
The Capital Connector Project is a major revitalization effort that seeks to expand pedestrian and cyclist zones along Kanawha Boulevard from Magic Island to the 35th Street Bridge, as well as a portion of Greenbrier Street. It was first proposed in 2021.
The bulk of the project has already been funded through a U.S. Department of Transportation RAISE Construction Grant award. But the grant is capped at $25 million, officials said Tuesday.
“The latest updated estimate for the Capital Connector Project is approximately $26 million,” Jenkins told council members. “We’re required as part of this [grant] agreement to take on any overages.”
Council members decided to use the remaining $1.3 million from the sinking fund to finance the amount not covered by the RAISE grant.
City leaders were given the go-ahead to enter into a grant agreement with the Federal Highway Administration on Jan. 20. Construction on the Capital Connector Project is expected to begin after the final design is approved and the bidding process is complete.
Other agenda items
Also on Tuesday, council members:
- Approved the renewal of a one-year agreement for computer and server security services with IT firm SHI International Corporation;
- Authorized the purchase of a new utility tractor and other accessories for the Public Grounds Department; and
- Gave the go-ahead to enter an intergovernmental agreement with the West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office for lockbox services for fire department ambulance billing.
Charleston City Council members will hold their next regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026.
