By Colin McGuire, The Journal of Martinsburg
HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. — Despite voting last month to procure legal action against a bill that passed at the state level recently, members of the Harpers Ferry Town Council were at odds Monday night with what happens next.
The bill at hand, Senate Bill 657, will allow for up to five tourism development districts in municipalities of 2,000 people or less and would in effect put the future of the highly debated Hill Top House project in the hands of the state.
Days before the bill passed, the town council voted 4-3 to pursue binding arbitration with SWaN, the developer for a hotel at the Hill Top site, and to look into pursuing legal action against the legislation, arguing its constitutionality.
At Monday night’s meeting, Mayor Wayne Bishop explained to the council that since the vote, he has spoken with five different law firms to get an idea of what pursuing legal action against the state might cost the town. Though he wasn’t certain how much the bill might cost, he assured the council that he would have the information for them as early as Tuesday morning.
“I don’t think it’s going to be much,” Bishop said. “So, that’s good news.” …
