March 9, 2010
Council Approves Grants, Listens as Mayor Praises New Website
Jacobs-Jones Explains Stanford Park Run Off Problems
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Huntington Mayor Kim Wolfe may have inadvertently found a shortcut to his one-stop-shop promise to city residents and business. The city’s new website is now live, and, the interactive “City Support Center” has “exceeded our expectations,” Wolfe told Huntington City Council during the March 8 meeting.
Wolfe noted that there have been 65 requests for pothole filling (of which 55 have been filled) and 76 requests relate to streets (of which 57 have been fulfilled). 165 citizens have registered for “City Support Center” services. Demolitions and sidewalks are two additional high ranking requests.
As for the demolition issue(s), the said that legislation by the state for granting cities powers to act on dilapidated housing are “on the fast track,” the mayor said.
FISCAL AGENT
Council unanimously passed all fiscal agent pass through grant items on the agenda. They included the Click it or Ticket program, computers for two centers , $4,500 for repairs to the Memphis Garrison Home, and $17,000 for fencing and upgrades at the YMCA Kennedy Center.
The transfers of two bank accounts from Fifth Third to First Sentry for “cost effectiveness” were also approved.
A contract to Capitol Building to board up vacant properties at a cost of $6.10 per square foot passed without opposition or further comment. Funds come from CDBG grants, but the owners upon selling of the property would be required to reimburse the city.
According to director of planning and development, Charles Holley, the boards will be painted the same color as the structure so it will blend with the neighborhood.
STANFORD PARK AND STORM SEWERS
Moving from the Saturday budget session to ‘prime time,’ a Stanford Park “water situation” inquiry came from council woman Rebecca Thacker, who had received several complaints.
Director of Finance and Administration Brandi Jacobs-Jones, in her capacity as public works director, addressed the question by first noting that the assistant public works director had made three trips to the development in the last three months. She told council that Kit Anderson has twice met with home owner association president Susan Dillard.
Jacobs-Jones reiterated that storm water runoff continues to erode streets in the development.
“The short answer is to put gravel [on the street], but as it rains or snows, the gravel is washed away.”
However, Jacobs-Jones referred to a more complex issue --- a hill sliding down into one resident’s yard, due to trees growing at a particular angle near the retaining wall.
“What we are finding is a far reaching run off issue in the Stanford Park development,” the director of finance/administration explained. She called this an example of a developer “putting together wonderful homes and communities [without] addressing the storm water runoff and proper draining of roads.”
Jacobs-Jones indicated that Mr. Anderson is in a storm water training program and is looking for federal dollar funding sources “to generate income to deal with storm water. He would like to make Stanford Park a pilot project in terms of the MF4 (Multiple Separate Storm Sewer System compliance with Clean Water Act).” She continued that Anderson has advised some residents of the development about interim solutions with PVC piping and rain barrels.
“It’s going to be a large, very expensive project. Long story short, it’s on our radar, but we need to find funds,” she said.
Councilman Russell Houck asked, on behalf of the Highlawn District, if a storm water committee would be established.
Jacobs-Jones said one existed during Dr. Wayne Pollard’s short span as public works director.
STORM WATER 101
“We have to start over and educate at Storm Water 101. Eventually , something will take place. What that looks like, I do not know. In the past, it has been a political battle” she said, referring to whether the Street Department or Huntington Sanitary Board should be in charge of storm water issues. “We still need to [research] what’s in the best interests of our citizens. This is one of the big issues looming at us every day that passes. We’re going to have to deal more and more with regulatory issues.”
Houck inquired whether a separate storm water utility would be created.
Due to high public works department turnover, Jacobs-Jones explained, “We have not adequately dealt with the issue. You educate a council, then, a new council [takes their] place. Four different ordinances in draft form [or otherwise] have come forward [to council without action]. It’s a city wide problem. It’s inevitable that we have to do something,” but she cannot predict what the model will look like. “First and foremost are [finding] funding sources and [determining] best practices… each time it rains, the floodwall keeps the water out, but we have our own water inside the city.”
Council chairman Jim Insco added that a storm water committee will be appointed.
Editor's Note: Storm Water issues are one of the items which the city must address in order to comply with WV DEP regulation and compliance requests.
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Council Approves Grants, Listens as Mayor Praises New Website
Jacobs-Jones Explains Stanford Park Run Off Problems
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Huntington Mayor Kim Wolfe may have inadvertently found a shortcut to his one-stop-shop promise to city residents and business. The city’s new website is now live, and, the interactive “City Support Center” has “exceeded our expectations,” Wolfe told Huntington City Council during the March 8 meeting.
Wolfe noted that there have been 65 requests for pothole filling (of which 55 have been filled) and 76 requests relate to streets (of which 57 have been fulfilled). 165 citizens have registered for “City Support Center” services. Demolitions and sidewalks are two additional high ranking requests.
As for the demolition issue(s), the said that legislation by the state for granting cities powers to act on dilapidated housing are “on the fast track,” the mayor said.
FISCAL AGENT
Council unanimously passed all fiscal agent pass through grant items on the agenda. They included the Click it or Ticket program, computers for two centers , $4,500 for repairs to the Memphis Garrison Home, and $17,000 for fencing and upgrades at the YMCA Kennedy Center.
The transfers of two bank accounts from Fifth Third to First Sentry for “cost effectiveness” were also approved.
A contract to Capitol Building to board up vacant properties at a cost of $6.10 per square foot passed without opposition or further comment. Funds come from CDBG grants, but the owners upon selling of the property would be required to reimburse the city.
According to director of planning and development, Charles Holley, the boards will be painted the same color as the structure so it will blend with the neighborhood.
STANFORD PARK AND STORM SEWERS
Moving from the Saturday budget session to ‘prime time,’ a Stanford Park “water situation” inquiry came from council woman Rebecca Thacker, who had received several complaints.
Director of Finance and Administration Brandi Jacobs-Jones, in her capacity as public works director, addressed the question by first noting that the assistant public works director had made three trips to the development in the last three months. She told council that Kit Anderson has twice met with home owner association president Susan Dillard.
Jacobs-Jones reiterated that storm water runoff continues to erode streets in the development.
“The short answer is to put gravel [on the street], but as it rains or snows, the gravel is washed away.”
However, Jacobs-Jones referred to a more complex issue --- a hill sliding down into one resident’s yard, due to trees growing at a particular angle near the retaining wall.
“What we are finding is a far reaching run off issue in the Stanford Park development,” the director of finance/administration explained. She called this an example of a developer “putting together wonderful homes and communities [without] addressing the storm water runoff and proper draining of roads.”
Jacobs-Jones indicated that Mr. Anderson is in a storm water training program and is looking for federal dollar funding sources “to generate income to deal with storm water. He would like to make Stanford Park a pilot project in terms of the MF4 (Multiple Separate Storm Sewer System compliance with Clean Water Act).” She continued that Anderson has advised some residents of the development about interim solutions with PVC piping and rain barrels.
“It’s going to be a large, very expensive project. Long story short, it’s on our radar, but we need to find funds,” she said.
Councilman Russell Houck asked, on behalf of the Highlawn District, if a storm water committee would be established.
Jacobs-Jones said one existed during Dr. Wayne Pollard’s short span as public works director.
STORM WATER 101
“We have to start over and educate at Storm Water 101. Eventually , something will take place. What that looks like, I do not know. In the past, it has been a political battle” she said, referring to whether the Street Department or Huntington Sanitary Board should be in charge of storm water issues. “We still need to [research] what’s in the best interests of our citizens. This is one of the big issues looming at us every day that passes. We’re going to have to deal more and more with regulatory issues.”
Houck inquired whether a separate storm water utility would be created.
Due to high public works department turnover, Jacobs-Jones explained, “We have not adequately dealt with the issue. You educate a council, then, a new council [takes their] place. Four different ordinances in draft form [or otherwise] have come forward [to council without action]. It’s a city wide problem. It’s inevitable that we have to do something,” but she cannot predict what the model will look like. “First and foremost are [finding] funding sources and [determining] best practices… each time it rains, the floodwall keeps the water out, but we have our own water inside the city.”
Council chairman Jim Insco added that a storm water committee will be appointed.
Editor's Note: Storm Water issues are one of the items which the city must address in order to comply with WV DEP regulation and compliance requests.
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