The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) — The Covington City Council convened for a work session Tuesday night, tackling a wide range of issues from a resident’s concern about the city’s maintenance practices to the appointment of a new council member and updates on ongoing city projects.
The meeting opened with public comments, most notably from Robin Reynolds, a resident who voiced frustration over persistent flooding caused by city maintenance practices. Reynolds, who owns two properties in the city, described a four-year ordeal involving a fire hydrant near her home. According to Reynolds, the city’s practice of flushing hydrants without proper drainage has repeatedly resulted in standing water and property damage.
“For the past four years, almost four and a half, they’ve flushed the fire hydrant right beside my residence, and they never flushed them before, and it’s been frustrating. They started four years ago,” Reynolds told the council.
She recounted an incident where a trailer fire prompted the city to begin regular hydrant flushing, but the process led to water pooling around her property.
“No citizen should have property damage because of a city issue,” she said, adding that her repeated calls to city maintenance had not resolved the problem.
Reynolds detailed a recent episode in which water from the hydrant flooded her lot for several hours, making it impossible to enter her home and affecting neighboring properties.
“I had anywhere from eight to 12 inches of water all around the lot,” she said.
Despite assurances from city staff, Reynolds said the issue remains unresolved and has caused damage to her home’s foundation and underpinning. She urged the council to require city workers to use hoses to direct water into nearby drainage ditches during hydrant maintenance. Council members thanked Reynolds for her comments and promised to investigate the matter.
“We’ll check into that, we’ll see what’s going on, see if it can be corrected,” Mayor Forbes responded.
The council then moved to appointments, with the main order of business being the selection of an interim council member for District One.
Following a roll call vote, David Goff was appointed to fill the vacancy until a special election scheduled for November 4. Goff received unanimous support from the council, with all four voting members selecting him over the other candidate.
In other appointments, the council approved the nomination of Mayor Fred Forbes to the Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission, filling the unexpired term of the late Mayor Carson. The council also appointed Kayla Jones from the Department of Social Services to the Covington Housing Authority, effective August 31 to fulfill the unexpired term of Tammy Wilson.
City Manager Allen Dressler provided an update on several ongoing projects and city initiatives. He highlighted progress on the waterline project, which is expected to be completed by the end of the week, followed by significant roadwork.
Dressler noted that paving projects delayed from the previous fiscal year would soon resume, with Mid City Mall being one of the first locations to be addressed.
Renovations at Casey Field and under Boodie Albert Stadium are also moving forward, Dressler said, with new restroom facilities nearing completion. Portable restrooms will be available for the upcoming Cougar-Brookville football game, and the city is working to accommodate both student athletes and the general public during the event.
Dressler also reported on the Rivermont housing project, stating that plans are awaiting approval before construction can begin.
Discussions with the Department of Transportation continue regarding funding for the sidewalk project, with hopes for additional financial assistance to move the project forward.
The city manager took time to praise city staff, particularly those maintaining Cedar Hill Cemetery, and acknowledged the efforts of the recreation and police departments in preparing for community events.
City Attorney Mark Popovich provided a legal update regarding recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits filed against the city. The court dismissed all petitions.
“We have been successful in defending in all cases,” the Popovich reported, though he cautioned that appeals or additional suits could still be filed.
During the public comment period, Charles Anderson, a resident of West Locust Street, suggested the city consider establishing a drive-in theater as a way to honor Covington’s history and provide entertainment for local youth.
“Why not make it real historical, come up with a drive-in theater somewhere?” Anderson said, recalling the city’s former drive-in and its popularity.
The meeting concluded with a motion to enter closed session to discuss the acquisition of real property, as permitted under Virginia law.
The council assigned several action items, including a follow-up on the Rivermont housing project plan delivery, continued discussions with the Department of Transportation regarding sidewalk project funding, and coordination between the recreation and police departments to accommodate attendees at the upcoming football game.
The next regular meeting of the Covington City Council is scheduled for later this month.
