City Hall News: Week of August 2, 2026

Elkins, W.Va. — August 1, 2026 — The City of Elkins thanks local community groups and residents for their support for our neighbors in Upshur and Lewis Counties. We are deeply grateful for their generosity.

Elkins Water Department is Hiring!

The City of Elkins is seeking a Water Technician I, II, or III. Water technicians work within an operations team responsible for maintaining safe drinking water, reliable service to customers, and compliance with all applicable state and federal environmental regulations. Job duties include the installation, maintenance, and repair of water mains, service lines, valves, hydrants, meters, and related infrastructure. Water technician jobs are essential, in-demand roles that cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI).

Learn more about this and other jobs on the City of Elkins’ job page: https://cityofelkinswv.gov/employment.

Free Address Decals

The City of Elkins offers residents and business owners free reflective address numbers. Please don’t allow darkness or extreme weather to make your home or business difficult to find when first responders arrive on the scene in an emergency.

Getting free decals for your home or business is easy:

• Visit the Finance Dept. at the WV Wood Tech Center (at 10 11th St., Suite 3).
• Provide your Elkins address.
• Receive your free reflective numbers.

A clearly visible address saves critical time and lives: Pick up yours today!

The Finance Department’s hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Sign Up for Emergency Text Alerts

The recent extreme weather reminds us that we can never be too prepared. The City of Elkins asks residents and business owners to sign up for emergency text alerts. Anybody with a cellphone can receive important alerts including weather warnings, street closures, and water outages. Subscribers to these text alerts also receive reminders about changes to Elkins’ municipal services due to holidays.

Please sign up here: https://cityofelkinswv.gov/alerts

Reminder When Dropping off Glass and Yard Waste

The City of Elkins reminds residents about the rules at our yard waste and glass drop-off site at 1 Baxter Street. Elkins has been close to losing its contract with its waste management vendors because residents are leaving other waste at the Sanitation Garage. Currently, the drop-off site only accepts two types of materials: glass and yard waste.

Boxes, household trash, plastic ties, twine, and other waste items are strictly prohibited by the companies with which Elkins has contracts. Again, please only bring glass and yard waste.

More information is available here: https://cityofelkinswv.gov/community/recycling/

Request When Mowing Your Lawns

While they may appear harmless, grass clippings left on pavement can reduce tire traction, particularly during morning dew or after rainfall. For motorcycles and bicycles, even a thin layer of clippings can increase stopping distance, create a dangerously slick surface, and cause a wheel to slide. We ask all residents to treat lawn clippings like any other street debris: something to be removed, not ignored.

Elkins’ wastewater system faces risks as well. When grass clippings wash into storm drains, they add excess organic material that must be filtered or treated—adding strain to this system. While the City of Elkins conducts regular street sweeping, this cannot remove 100% of material from every curb line. Residents’ cooperation makes a meaningful difference in keeping our infrastructure safely running.

Sanitation Department Updates

Utility customers’ bulk pickup days are on a normal schedule for August. For reminders on when utility customers’ bulk pickups are scheduled this month, please visit this page: https://cityofelkinswv.gov/bulk-pickup/.

City Hall Business

On Tuesday, August 18, the Water Department and Water Board will hold a special meeting to discuss Elkins’ source water and potential for new raw water sources in the future. The public is welcome to attend; the meeting will be at the Phil Gainer Community Center, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Elkins City Council has postponed its next meeting to Thursday, August 13, at 7:00 p.m. at the Phil Gainer Community Center. The following City Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 27.

Upcoming board and committee meetings start on Monday, August 3, at the Phil Gainer Community Center:

• Personnel Committee, 1:00 p.m. Items on the agenda include longevity pay options, future compensation plans for the Elkins Fire Chief, and planning for interviewing candidates for the open Police Chief position.
• Public Safety, 2:30 p.m. Discussion topics include a property on Main Street.
• Rules & Ordinances, 3:30 p.m. Members will review updating the City’s communications and mobile device policy, revising the FOIA request protocols, and a discussion of sidewalks under City Code.

Tuesday, August 4, at the Darden House, 421 Davis Ave:

• Tree Board, 3:30 p.m. Discussion items include a City Park workday and tree planting at Glendale Park.

Stay informed of all upcoming meetings and their agendas by visiting https://cityofelkinswv.gov/agenda-center/. Residents and business owners may also set up email alerts to remind them about upcoming meetings.

Finance Department Updates

2nd quarter B&O tax returns were due July 31. Utility shutoffs for nonpayment of past due bills are scheduled for August 4.

To pay bills online: https://cityofelkinswv.gov/online-payments/.

To pay bills in person: 10 Eleventh St., Suite 3, Elkins, West Virginia, 26241.

City Hall Renovations

The City Hall building at 401 Davis Avenue has been closed for renovations since September 2024. Contractors are now working on a $4.1 million project to repair and prevent future damage from flooding; install modern HVAC systems; improve safety, accessibility, and security; and update and modernize employee workspaces.

For updates on City Hall construction and renovations: https://cityofelkinswv.gov/renovations/.

For all departments’ contact information: https://cityofelkinswv.gov/directory/.