Pastor asks city to delay demolition of West End church
Just minutes before Washington City Council voted to have a vacant church in the West End demolished, a local pastor asked them to reconsider having the building torn down.
The Rev. Joseph Wheeler appealed to council last week not to raze the church at 211 Grove Ave., saying God has shown him a vision for the area and that building in particular.
That vision, he told council, includes creating a community ministry and providing a safe place for youth in the area.
Last month, Washington County Judge John DiSalle determined that the Unitary Mission of America building had been unoccupied for at least 15 years and presented a serious risk to the health and safety of residents.
Council voted to release the property to Washington County Redevelopment Authority for demolition. Councilman Ken Westcott told Wheeler the city needed to begin the process of doing something with the building. If it is razed, it likely won’t happen until the fall.
Of his Pathways to Christ Ministry, Wheeler said God had given him a vision for the city and that area of Washington in particular.
Working with Dean Ellis, Wheeler said he wants to restore hope to the area by bringing the community together to share their hearts. Despite council’s unanimous vote to place the building on the demolition list, Wheeler said he was moving forward in faith.
In other action at the meeting, council voted to pay Councilman Joe Manning and Controller Nick Dubina retroactive pay of $9,961 each for the years 2011 and 2012.
There had been a question about whether the men, who retired as city firefighters, were eligible to receive the pay while also receiving a city pension.
It was determined there is no city ordinance that prohibits them from receiving a salary.
Council also voted to pay a number of bills, but a motion to approve a $2,205 payment to nTouch, the information technology company responsible for the city’s transit authority, failed for lack of a second. Councilman Matt Staniszewski is a member of nTouch’s board of directors.