Sections
Bluefieldnews.net
Huntington City Council Report
For you by Art
Harvath, Activist, Veteran, Jedi Knight and HNN Correspondent
There will be a Police Officer Memorial service Wednesday at 6 p.m. at
the arch in Ritter Park. Mayor David Felinton made the announcement during
the ‘Reports of the Mayor’ segment of Monday night’s Huntington
City Council meeting.
Council voted against auctioning off the City Hall Annex Building that
is located at 824 5th avenue. The ordinance failed 3-8, with Councilmembers
Jim Insco, Chuch Polan and Cal Kent voting for for the sale. In other
council action:
*council authorized the mayor, by a vote of 6-3, to expend $15,000 for
the defense in the matter of Jean Dean vs. Triple A Resources. Councilmembers
Insco, Mary Neely and Charlie Thompson voted against the ordinance. Councilmen
Dick Thompson and Tom McCallister abstained from voting.
*In a related matter, Council passed a resolution authorizing the mayor
to proceed with a settlement offer to Triple A Resources. The offer would
propose to change zoning from R-1 to C-1 and to not allow the city to
rezone the area for a period of two years. The resolution passed 8-1 (Cal
Kent), with Dick Thompson and McCallister abstaining.
*Council unanimously passed an ordinance to allow the mayor to enter into
a contract with architect Larry Ellis in the design and construction of
the new West End fire station.
*a 1st reading of an ordinance to provide the Police Department with a
UHF radio system. The $120,240 contract will go to F&L Electronics,
a Huntington business. The funds will come from a Block Grant.
*1st reading of an ordinance raising the cost of a demolition permit from
$85 to $100. This will allow the city to hire a housing inspector. The
last housing inspector retired, and thus the job was not continued into
the new budget year.
*Council passed an order to the Mayor directing him to enforce Article
953 of the codified ordinances. This concerns the high grass and weeds
growing on private lots around town. McCallister proposed charging 50-Cents
a square yard to the owners if the city has to mow the property. “Huntington
is looking real shabby, and it needs a haircut,” said McCallister.
*Two resolutions sponsored by McCallister requiring detailed audits of
the Huntington Municipal Development Authority and the Huntington Urban
Renewal Authority died by lack of a second.
*A resolution to solicit $1 million from the Empowerment Zone for street
resurfacing passed 10-1 (Larry Patterson).
* A resolution of council directing $75,000 in the Community Block Development
Grant program be designated for improvements to West 5th Street failed
by lack of a second.
*Council tabled a resolution imploring the governor and the West Virginia
Legislature to adopt recommendations of the Huntington Forward Committee
regarding municipal pension reform.
*Jacquie Lewis was appointed to the Huntington Planning Commission.
If you would like to see the council meetings televised on the public
access channel, there is a fund set up in the memory of former councilman
Bill Toney. However, this fund is now in the red, and is in desperate
need of donations.
Checks can be made out to the Financial Director, city of Huntington.
Be sure to note that it is to go to the Bill Toney Fund.
