Sept. 27, 2010
Huntington Council Holding First Session After Tax Reform Tabled by State Board
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - Receipt of word from the state home rule board that tabled Huntington’s revised tax reform package has significant implications for the Monday, Sept. 27, meeting of Huntington City Council. Obviously, the city will not be receiving occupation tax revenue beginning October 1.
The committee’s decision which requires the city to provide additional documentation to the board does not contain a date certain for reconvening. A finance committee meeting precedes the 7:30 p.m. council meeting. The finance committee has on its agenda proposed budget revisions, which last week created challenges or red flags, depending upon your own assessment level.
Facing end of the year encumbrance accounting, council had received a report last week that the contingency fund had dropped to about $38,000 (on paper). Scurrying to replenish the fund, the administration and three council members met with department heads and have made proposals that would increase the fund to $560,000, through nonpublic safety endangering cutbacks from the police and fire departments.
Fire Chief Fred Moore indicated that the proposed $179,000 cuts from the department were five unfilled positions and would not affect service or close any fire stations.
“This does not in the short term compromise [safety]. We have been without the positions for the last six months,” Moore told council at the Thursday work session. Police Chief Skip Holbrook agreed that the police cuts did not “compromise anything or have an effect on equipment or safety.”
Mayor Wolfe told council he wanted to avoid any possible deficit so he “worked with individual department heads” to present the proposal to council.
(Editor’s Note: The proposed revisions were made PRIOR to learning of the tabling of the occupation tax by the state home rule board.)
Actually, Finance Director Deron Runyon attributed the necessity for the proposals which impact the contingency fund as complications of “encumbrance accounting.”
Simultaneously, council members inquired about by whom the proposed decision(s) were made.
Initially, council Finance Director Steve Williams intended to have the full committee meet privately with the Mayor on cuts. However, after learning that this would violate the open meeting law , Williams called off that meeting. Instead, Williams, chairman Insco and councilman Russ Houck met with the mayor and department heads.
“I got myself in a sling,” Williams said of the mistake.
An ethics opinion supported by city attorney Scott McClure indicated that a quorum of council or a quorum of council sub-committee members would trigger the violation.
Insco said, “We had a three hour meeting” with the mayor.
OTHER BUSINESS
At the work session, other discussions concerned grants that would be used for the Paul Ambrose Trail, re-zoning 202-234 Fifth Avenue for an insurance office, and upgrading the police department radio from an analogue system to digital. The new technology be paid through grant funds.
Grants would also provide members of the Huntington Fire Department with confined space hazardous material training, purchase a portable generator, and preparation of a continuity of operations plan in conjunction with West Virginia’s Homeland Security agency.
Mayor Wolfe also told council of on-going inspections of the floodwall by the Corps of Engineers. A report is expected soon, but the Mayor stated, “We don’t know how much repair” will be needed.
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Huntington Council Holding First Session After Tax Reform Tabled by State Board
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - Receipt of word from the state home rule board that tabled Huntington’s revised tax reform package has significant implications for the Monday, Sept. 27, meeting of Huntington City Council. Obviously, the city will not be receiving occupation tax revenue beginning October 1.
The committee’s decision which requires the city to provide additional documentation to the board does not contain a date certain for reconvening. A finance committee meeting precedes the 7:30 p.m. council meeting. The finance committee has on its agenda proposed budget revisions, which last week created challenges or red flags, depending upon your own assessment level.
Facing end of the year encumbrance accounting, council had received a report last week that the contingency fund had dropped to about $38,000 (on paper). Scurrying to replenish the fund, the administration and three council members met with department heads and have made proposals that would increase the fund to $560,000, through nonpublic safety endangering cutbacks from the police and fire departments.
Fire Chief Fred Moore indicated that the proposed $179,000 cuts from the department were five unfilled positions and would not affect service or close any fire stations.
“This does not in the short term compromise [safety]. We have been without the positions for the last six months,” Moore told council at the Thursday work session. Police Chief Skip Holbrook agreed that the police cuts did not “compromise anything or have an effect on equipment or safety.”
Mayor Wolfe told council he wanted to avoid any possible deficit so he “worked with individual department heads” to present the proposal to council.
(Editor’s Note: The proposed revisions were made PRIOR to learning of the tabling of the occupation tax by the state home rule board.)
Actually, Finance Director Deron Runyon attributed the necessity for the proposals which impact the contingency fund as complications of “encumbrance accounting.”
Simultaneously, council members inquired about by whom the proposed decision(s) were made.
Initially, council Finance Director Steve Williams intended to have the full committee meet privately with the Mayor on cuts. However, after learning that this would violate the open meeting law , Williams called off that meeting. Instead, Williams, chairman Insco and councilman Russ Houck met with the mayor and department heads.
“I got myself in a sling,” Williams said of the mistake.
An ethics opinion supported by city attorney Scott McClure indicated that a quorum of council or a quorum of council sub-committee members would trigger the violation.
Insco said, “We had a three hour meeting” with the mayor.
OTHER BUSINESS
At the work session, other discussions concerned grants that would be used for the Paul Ambrose Trail, re-zoning 202-234 Fifth Avenue for an insurance office, and upgrading the police department radio from an analogue system to digital. The new technology be paid through grant funds.
Grants would also provide members of the Huntington Fire Department with confined space hazardous material training, purchase a portable generator, and preparation of a continuity of operations plan in conjunction with West Virginia’s Homeland Security agency.
Mayor Wolfe also told council of on-going inspections of the floodwall by the Corps of Engineers. A report is expected soon, but the Mayor stated, “We don’t know how much repair” will be needed.
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