Dec. 16, 2010
Dedicated Paving Line Item Passes Huntington Council
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - Swift working together action has led to the passage of a creative method to ensure transparency for Huntington city service fee paving monies. Following questions raised at a Finance Committee meeting about utilization of paving funds for street maintenance, council and the administration essentially created a paving department, which receives the annual amounts budgeted for laying down asphalt on chunky streets.
By departmentalizing street paving, a completely transparent accounting can be accommodated, which will help put aside constituent and council concerns about the expenditures. Citizens, according to council members, complain the greatest about the city’s bumpy roads. The paving or not paving has been an accountability issue for past administrations.
Finance Director Steve Williams complimented the Wolfe administration for their quick action and cooperation. “Any money moved will now require council approval,” Williams said.
Council member Jim Ritter explained that the decision “let’s the public know that the money is there and that we are trying to be open.”
The Wolfe Administration has been especially transparent by posting receipts, expenditures and streets paved at the city’s internet website as well as on Comcast Channel 24.
Council and the administration came together on the designation after questions surfaced about whether ‘paving’ included road and/or bridge repair. Although the user fees allows this expenditure, a proactive approach has been taken to ensure that at least the $600,000 for street resurfacing goes to improve the ride on Huntington streets.
Finally, council turned down a request for the purchase of new salt spreaders for the Huntington Street Department. The body was unconvinced that the purchase was indeed an “emergency” or that a less expensive alternative could be achieved.
Ironically, the 6-3 turn down came on a day when snow had fallen in the city. However, councilman Nate Randolph complimented the Department of Public Works for re-working the snow removal priorities for streets. Randolph said that trucks were twice seen Monday on Honeysuckle Drive, which has a “fairly treacherous turn.”
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Dedicated Paving Line Item Passes Huntington Council
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - Swift working together action has led to the passage of a creative method to ensure transparency for Huntington city service fee paving monies. Following questions raised at a Finance Committee meeting about utilization of paving funds for street maintenance, council and the administration essentially created a paving department, which receives the annual amounts budgeted for laying down asphalt on chunky streets.
By departmentalizing street paving, a completely transparent accounting can be accommodated, which will help put aside constituent and council concerns about the expenditures. Citizens, according to council members, complain the greatest about the city’s bumpy roads. The paving or not paving has been an accountability issue for past administrations.
Finance Director Steve Williams complimented the Wolfe administration for their quick action and cooperation. “Any money moved will now require council approval,” Williams said.
Council member Jim Ritter explained that the decision “let’s the public know that the money is there and that we are trying to be open.”
The Wolfe Administration has been especially transparent by posting receipts, expenditures and streets paved at the city’s internet website as well as on Comcast Channel 24.
Council and the administration came together on the designation after questions surfaced about whether ‘paving’ included road and/or bridge repair. Although the user fees allows this expenditure, a proactive approach has been taken to ensure that at least the $600,000 for street resurfacing goes to improve the ride on Huntington streets.
Finally, council turned down a request for the purchase of new salt spreaders for the Huntington Street Department. The body was unconvinced that the purchase was indeed an “emergency” or that a less expensive alternative could be achieved.
Ironically, the 6-3 turn down came on a day when snow had fallen in the city. However, councilman Nate Randolph complimented the Department of Public Works for re-working the snow removal priorities for streets. Randolph said that trucks were twice seen Monday on Honeysuckle Drive, which has a “fairly treacherous turn.”
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