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City Councilman wants new school to remain in Huntington

January 27, 2008 @ 11:28 AM

BRYAN CHAMBERS

Herald-Dispatch.com

HUNTINGTON — When you take a school out of a community, it loses its support and pride from neighbors, Huntington City Councilman Jim Insco says.

That’s why Insco is sponsoring a resolution at Monday's council meeting that requests that the Cabell County Board of Education keep a planned consolidated middle school within city limits.

Insco’s resolution refers to the Board of Education’s plans to build a new school on land surrounding the Cabell County Career Technical Center, which is outside city limits. The school would consolidate Beverly Hills and Enslow middle schools.

The school board must submit a proposal to the state School Building Authority by December.

Insco has said his concerns about the new school are not limited to whether it will be located within city limits. He also has noted that the Board of Education has no redevelopment plans for the existing schools. 

Cabell County Schools Superintendent William Smith released a statement Friday saying the issue comes down to a lack of available land inside city limits.

“While the Board is not opposed to a new middle school building inside the Huntington City limits, I, the administrative team and the Board of Education have explored the possibility of enough available land suitable for a middle school within the city and have found none,” he said.

City Council meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 800 5th Ave. Here’s a look at other items on the agenda:

PARKING BOARD VEHICLE: The council will vote on the second reading of an ordinance purchasing a Ford Focus for the Huntington Municipal Parking Board. The vehicle would cost $11,812 and would be used by the Parking Board's meter attendants.

The vehicles are more cost-efficient than the Parking Board's electric vehicles, Parking Board Director Johnette Nelson says. A new electric vehicle costs about $25,000. The vehicle also requires six batteries that cost $150 each.

Council members, however, have questioned whether a Ford Focus could withstand the constant stopping and starting required of the job.

B.W. ELLIS: The council will vote on a resolution honoring former Fire Department employee and District 8 Councilman B.W. Ellis. He died Jan. 14.

Ellis  served as a councilman for 14 years. He also was a city firefighter, fire marshal and deputy fire chief.

FUNDING REALLOCATION: The council will vote on a resolution reallocating $200,000 in HOME program dollars. The money was originally intended for the Housing Development Corp. to build four units at Vanity Fair for the chronically homeless. The project has since been deemed unfeasible. The corporation now wants to build the units at 936 Washington Ave.

APPOINTMENTS: The council will vote on appointing David Bradshaw and the Rev. Timothy Dixon to the Huntington Human Relations Commission and Jason Moore to the Municipal Parking Board.