Welcome to Elkins!

A guide to living and working in Elkins, West Virginia

Notes

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Published: June 2021

Front cover: Rotary Amphitheater, Elkins Depot Welcome Center, and Third Street.

Back cover: Downtown Elkins during the Mountain State Forest Festival.

Photographs courtesy of Robbie Skinner.

Elkins City Hall

1

Welcome from Mayor Jerry Marco ........................................................................................................ 1

2

Elkins: Yesterday and Today ................................................................................................................ 2

3

City Government ................................................................................................................................... 3

4

Daily Life ............................................................................................................................................... 6

4.1.1

4.2.1

4.2.5

4.3.1

4.3.2

4.3.3

4.4.1

4.4.2

4.4.3

7

Public Safety and Emergency Services .............................................................................................. 18

8

Business Licensing and Taxes ........................................................................................................... 20

9

Contact Information ............................................................................................................................. 21

community. We take great pride in our city, and we’re so glad you’re here!

The purpose of this guide is to share information, answer questions, and give you an overview of

the services provided by City of Elkins. We hope to familiarize you with our area and make you

feel welcome.

The information in this guide is just a small part of what you can learn by exploring our website.

On our website, you can subscribe to our email newsletter list to make sure you hear

announcements and news as soon as we release them. You can also stay in touch by following

our Facebook and Twitter accounts. For your convenience, I’m including links to all our

communication channels at the bottom of this page. There is also a directory for frequently

contacted city hall departments in the final chapter of this guide.

Sincerely,

Jerry A. Marco

Mayor

seat of Randolph County.

In addition to serving as a tourism and outdoor-adventure basecamp within easy reach of

numerous recreation opportunities and cultural events, the city is home to a regional hospital

complex (Davis Medical Center), a small liberal arts college (Davis & Elkins), the headquarters

of the Monongahela National Forest, the Jennings Randolph Federal Building, and an excursion

train company that hosts about 30,000 visitors a year (the Durbin & Greenbrier Railroad). Each

fall, some 75,000 people attend the Mountain State Forest Festival—the state’s largest and

oldest festival—which features carnival rides on downtown streets, two major parades, and the

coronation of Queen Silvia, the queen of the forest.

Elkins, which was incorporated as a city in 1890, was founded by Henry Gassaway Davis (1823-

1916) and his son-in-law, Stephen Benton Elkins (1841-1911). These two men, who were also

business partners and at different times served as U.S. senators, developed railroad lines, coal

1958, but Elkins continued to be a major freight hub, providing a vital transportation link for the

area’s booming timber industry. Today, the city’s once busy railyard is the site of existing and

planned commercial development. The West Virginia Railroad Museum, located at the railyard’s

southeast corner, preserves the history of railroading in Elkins and statewide.

Despite the city’s small size, Elkins has an abundance of structures and neighborhoods on the

National Register of Historic Places, including the Downtown Elkins Historic District, the Wees

District, the Graham-Davis District, and the Davis & Elkins Historic District. The latter

comprises the mansions, outbuildings, and grounds of the grand estates once home to the city’s

founders and later transferred to Davis & Elkins College.

Downtown Elkins is a business and retail district with an eclectic variety of locally owned shops,

city council exercises ultimate corporate authority over the city government, while the mayor

Elkins mayors and council members serve four-year terms. Elections are held in odd-numbered

years on the first Tuesday in June. (For information about voter registration, see section 3.3.)

The mayor and city council work closely with the city clerk. Among other responsibilities, the

city clerk serves as a liaison between council and the public.

Fifth Ward

Linda Vest (term ends 2023)

915 S. Henry Avenue

304-636-1220

3.3

Voting and Voter Registration

There are two categories of elections in which Elkins voters may participate. The city runs its

own elections for city offices (i.e., mayor and council). City elections, held on the first Tuesday in

3.4

Boards and Commissions

Many important city policies and projects are designed and managed not by the mayor and

council but by the city’s boards and commissions. Citizen volunteers who serve on these bodies

play a vital role in city governance. Maybe you’d like to get involved!

For more information about a particular board or commission (or to find out if there are any

openings), please call the city clerk: 304-636-1414, ext. 1211. You may submit an application to

be kept on file at the city clerk’s office. Should there be an opening on a board for which you

have indicated interest within two years of receipt, you will be contacted.

related to the city’s fire & rescue fees)

Historic Landmarks Commission (education about and advocacy for preservation of

historic properties)

Housing Authority of the City of Elkins (manages Gateway Apartments)

Parks and Recreation Commission (operates city parks and the Phil Gainer Community

Center)

Planning Commission (land-use planning and zoning)

Police Civil Service Commission (evaluates and certifies applicants for appointment as

police officers; hears grievances and appeals of certain personnel decisions)

Sanitary Board (manages city’s sewer system)

The regular meeting schedules of these authorities, boards, and commissions may be viewed

online or at city hall. Some meet irregularly or as needed. For help verifying meeting times,

please contact the city clerk.

For more information: www.bit.ly/Elkins-Boards-Commissions.

Gas service is provided by the Mountaineer Gas Company. To start service with Mountaineer

Area internet providers include Suddenlink, Frontier, Micrologic, and Lynx WV. Suddenlink and

The City of Elkins charges a Fire & Rescue Service Fee to all property owners served by the

Elkins Fire Department (EFD). This fee, which is charged not only to city property owners but

also property owners throughout the EFD’s 150-square-mile “first-due area,” is billed to in-city

property owners on their monthly utility statements.

Owner-occupied homes: $100 per year.

One-unit and two-unit rentals: $100 per unit (charged to owner).

Rentals with three units or more: $0.05 per foot (charged to owner).

implementation of the fee, in 2015, the department has added six paid, civil service

firefighter positions, for a total of nine, in addition to a full-time chief. As a result, the

department now has a full shift present and on-duty twenty-four hours a day.

4.4

Building Permits, Signs, and Zoning

The city’s building inspector enforces building codes, issues sign and building permits, and

performs zoning determinations. (The building inspection department also houses code

enforcement. For more about code enforcement, see section 7.1, below.)

roofing, and HVAC.

When making an application for a building permit, detailed construction plans must be

provided. Your form and accompanying fee may be submitted by mail or in person at city hall.

For a comprehensive list of city building codes, schedule of building permit fees, and other

Legislation adopted in June of 2015 prospectively prohibits certain categories of signs (including

billboards) inside Elkins city limits. Some size and placement restrictions apply as well. Please

building inspector. (Access city code here: www.cityofelkinswv.com/government/elkins-city-

For more information: www.bit.ly/Elkins-Sign-Permits.

purposes should be obtained from the office of the building inspector. Please contact the

building inspector with questions about allowed uses or to appeal a zoning decision.

Court is in session on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 2:00 p.m.-4:30 pm. Also, for individuals

wishing to contest traffic and/or parking citations, the judge is available by appointment on

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Please contact the municipal court clerk

to make an appointment: (304) 635-7142; mm[email protected].

The Elkins Municipal Court accepts credit and debit cards, cash, money orders, cashiers’ checks,

and personal checks (accompanied by a valid legal ID). You may pay either in person, by mail, or

online.

When paying by mail, do not send cash. Personal checks (including driver’s license number or

SSN), money orders, and cashier’s checks are accepted. Send a copy of any citations (or note the

case/citation number) with plea and payment to: Elkins Municipal Court, 401 Davis Avenue,

Elkins WV 26241.

Pleas and payments for non-jailable offenses, such as parking citations, can be entered online.

See: www.municipalonlinepayments.com/elkinswv.

4.6

Local Tax Structure

o County property tax: $0.2814/$100

o School property tax: $0.3880/$100

o Municipal property tax: $0.2500/$100

o School property tax: $0.7760/$100

o Municipal property tax: $0.5000/$100

www.randolphassessorwv.com.

The sales-tax rate in Elkins is 7 percent. This includes:

The authority to levy a municipal sales tax has been granted to Elkins under home rule. For

Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission (EPRC).

Although the EPRC is appointed and funded by city council, it is a legally autonomous governing

body with final authority over most parks-related decisions.

acres in the city’s five parks: Bluegrass Park, Davis Street Park, Elkins City Park, Glendale Park

and River Bend Park. The EPRC also operates the Phil Gainer Community Center (see section

5.2, below).

Residents and visitors can use the extensive park system for picnics, walks, fishing, organized

athletics, or just a little peace and quiet. The five different parks are visited by over 200,000

people annually. Davis Street Park, Elkins City Park, Glendale Park and River Bend Park all

feature children’s play equipment. In addition, Glendale Park and River Bend Park have soccer

fields, Glendale has a football field, and River Bend has a baseball diamond and two sand

joining Glendale and River Bend Parks.

at 304-636-3960. If no one answers, please leave a message and a staff member will call

you back.

For more information: www.cityofelkinswv.com/living/parks-recreation.

5.2

Phil Gainer Community Center

The building that is known today as the Phil Gainer Community Center was constructed in the

1960s as the Elkins National Guard Armory. The city purchased the armory in 2016, and the

Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission set about renovating and updating the building to

make it into the full-featured community resource it is today.

Other local recreation resources include:

performances, plays, storytelling, clogging and other dancing, art installations, classes and

Following is a list of local arts, educational, and cultural organizations and resources.

www.facebook.com/REACTplayers.

department.

property using both education and enforcement tools to maintain a healthy, safe, and clean

environment for all Elkins residents, businesses, and visitors. The code enforcement officer also

oversees the vacant-property and rental-property registration programs.

For a better understanding of the process of code enforcement, you can review the City of Elkins

Code Enforcement Protocol (available on our website). If you have information regarding a

Common code violations:

Fire code violations (contact EFD at 304-636-3433)

For more information: www.bit.ly/Elkins-Code-Enforcement

also ten certified divers. Multiple times per year, EFD visits area schools to instruct students

sales and use tax. (Learn more about the local tax structure in section 4.6, above.)

City of Elkins is committed to welcoming new businesses and supporting existing ones. Read on

to learn about business licensing and taxes. Additional information about operating a business

in Elkins is available from:

30 of the following year.

Businesses operating as street vendors must obtain an additional license for this purpose.

Vendors participating in approved fairs and festivals within the city will not be required to

obtain a separate license for those events.

You must obtain your state business license before applying for a city business license. To

register your business with the state, please consult www.business4.wv.gov.

For more information: www.cityofelkinswv.com/working/business-licensing-taxes.

8.2

Business Taxes

Business and occupation (B&O) taxes are charged against your gross business income, at

different rates for different categories of businesses. If you operate a business licensed in Elkins,

month next succeeding the month in which the tax accrued.

For more information: www.cityofelkinswv.com/working/business-licensing-taxes.

8.3

Sales and Use Tax

2018. This is in addition to the statewide 6-percent sales tax. The city collects approximately $1

million a year via this tax, the proceeds of which are restricted by state law to our general fund

(i.e., sales tax proceeds can’t be used to support our water or sewer utilities). To date, this in-

city sales tax has helped fund the demolition of dilapidated houses, a new police officer position,

improvements to the public parking lot behind city hall, renovations of both the police

department and the Phil Gainer Community Center, and the creation of our GIS Department.

selection of City of Elkins departments.

Elkins Main Street 304-637-4803

Elkins-Randolph County Chamber of Commerce 304-636-2717

Family Resource Network 304-636-4454

Health Department 304-636-0396

Legal Aid 304-635-7600

Office of Emergency Services 304-636-1945

Randolph County Board of Education 304-636-9150

Randolph County Clerk 304-636-0543

Randolph County Commission 304-636-2057

Randolph County Development Authority 304-637-0803

Randolph County Animal Control 304-630-6191

Randolph County Homeless Shelter 304-636-5193

Tygart Valley United Way 304-636-0516

9.2

Service, Volunteer, and Fraternal Organizations

Elks Lodge 1135 304-591-3791

Independent Order of Odd Fellows – Boone Lodge 170 304-369-5819

Kiwanis Club of Elkins 304-642-7956

Lions Club (club president) 304-704-5725

Mountain State Forest Festival Association 304-636-1824

Our Town (at Delmonte Market) 304-636-4400

Randolph County 4-H (WVU Extension Service) 304-636-2455