July 15, 2010
Huntington Council Approves Erosion Project, JAG Grants, Wood Chipper
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Tax reform, and occupation tax amendments in particular, did not consume the full meeting of Huntington City Council Monday night, July 12. However, fiscal issues on other items once routinely approved continued receiving questions from council members and those in the audience.
An interesting irony has occurred: Citizens are questioning the spending of grant monies designated for particular projects. The approval of grant applications generally come from either a federal or state agency, which set the requirements for consideration.
Clarifications as to the grant conditions were given to audience members, but general “it’s still our tax money” retorts suggest a continued lack of understanding.
Left unstated in such answers, the grant awarded prevents a general fund expenditure, but the audience member(s) fail to comprehend that the city competed in many cases for these awards.
Both grants approved by the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (JAG) provides local resources for salaries of an assistant prosecutor and officers working in the FBI Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force. An additional grant is for the Drug Market Intervention program.
Lucian Kimler, a street division supervisor, spoke before council justifying the lease/purchase of a $77,748 wood chipper. He demonstrated financial savings by less expenditures on repairs, less on fuel (by not traveling to the Kentucky landfill), and more efficient personnel use.
Lastly, council approved a river bank land stabilization project in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps. Of Engineers. The project will prevent further erosion of the bank near a main sewer line near Staunton Road.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
Huntington Council Approves Erosion Project, JAG Grants, Wood Chipper
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Tax reform, and occupation tax amendments in particular, did not consume the full meeting of Huntington City Council Monday night, July 12. However, fiscal issues on other items once routinely approved continued receiving questions from council members and those in the audience.
An interesting irony has occurred: Citizens are questioning the spending of grant monies designated for particular projects. The approval of grant applications generally come from either a federal or state agency, which set the requirements for consideration.
Clarifications as to the grant conditions were given to audience members, but general “it’s still our tax money” retorts suggest a continued lack of understanding.
Left unstated in such answers, the grant awarded prevents a general fund expenditure, but the audience member(s) fail to comprehend that the city competed in many cases for these awards.
Both grants approved by the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (JAG) provides local resources for salaries of an assistant prosecutor and officers working in the FBI Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force. An additional grant is for the Drug Market Intervention program.
Lucian Kimler, a street division supervisor, spoke before council justifying the lease/purchase of a $77,748 wood chipper. He demonstrated financial savings by less expenditures on repairs, less on fuel (by not traveling to the Kentucky landfill), and more efficient personnel use.
Lastly, council approved a river bank land stabilization project in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps. Of Engineers. The project will prevent further erosion of the bank near a main sewer line near Staunton Road.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
