Becky Deem McGinnis, left, and former Parkersburg Mayor Bob Newell, right, pose for a photo with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., after an event Wednesday at City Park in Parkersburg. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — In what could be his last visit to the city as an elected official, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin toured facilities Parkersburg Wednesday improved with American Rescue Plan Act funds and reflected on the upcoming presidential election.

“We’re all in this together,” Manchin said. “On Nov. 6, whoever the president is, I’m going to support him. I might not have voted for him … but that’s my president.”

More than 40 local officials, candidates and union representatives gathered in the bleachers at Bennett Stump Field in City Park for Manchin’s remarks. The field was renovated last year with $1.75 million in federal ARPA funds that was part of the city’s $22.45 million allotment.

Prior to the gathering, Mayor Tom Joyce said Manchin toured the site on Fort Boreman Hill where $400,000 in ARPA money from the city and Wood County combined with a $1.5 million grant from the state to extend water and sewer service to make the property more attractive to prospective developers. They also visited the Southwood Park pool which reopened this summer after a $4.9 million renovation project funded primarily by ARPA dollars.

“There’s also $7 million in (Parkersburg Utility Board) water improvements that you can’t see,” Joyce noted.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., speaks Wednesday at the Bennett Stump baseball field in City Park that was renovated with $1.75 million in American Rescue Plan Act money while standing in front of a rendering of the activity and recreation center to be built at the park, another project being partially funded with ARPA money. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Manchin said Parkersburg used the ARPA funds correctly by investing in infrastructure projects that would not require continuous funding in the future.

“They did it right,” he said.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, Manchin said the government wanted to try to help communities and acknowledged they perhaps “overreacted.”

“Money started flowing, and it was bipartisan,” he said.

The first tranche of money went to the states and, in many cases, “it never got to you,” Manchin said, adding that he advocated for the next round to go directly to counties and municipalities.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., speaks to a group of city officials, candidates, community members and union representatives Wednesday at Bennett Stump Field in City Park. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Manchin served in multiple statewide offices, including secretary of state and governor, and the U.S. Senate as a Democrat before switching his voter registration to independent earlier this year. He announced at the end of 2023 that he would not seek reelection to the Senate.

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to be able to serve this great state for 40 years,” he said.

Manchin spoke about the challenges the United States faces, including the southern border being “unsecured.” He said Democrats should own the problem they’ve created and try to fix it, but the Republicans aren’t improving things either.

“They’re both wrong,” he said. “Trump doesn’t want to fix it until after the election so he can take credit for it.”

Manchin said both parties are culpable in the heated political atmosphere as well.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., speaks Wednesday at the Bennett Stump baseball field in City Park that was renovated with $1.75 million in American Rescue Plan Act money while standing in front of a rendering of the activity and recreation center to be built at the park, another project being partially funded with ARPA money. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

“It’s not normal to teach people to hate the other side. There’s only one side – the American side,” he said.

Manchin specifically named U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., as politicians whose “bad behavior” is being rewarded.

“They’re playing that game because they’ve got 24/7 media” coverage, he said.

Manchin said he’s not sure how to change it other than imposing term limits on Congress.

“I volunteered to get out before you all threw me out,” he said with a laugh.

Manchin also toured Rivertown Aviation and Aircraft’s new facility in a renovated hangar at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport Wednesday, according to a release from his office.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com