Parking board moving; meter attendants to fall under HPD

HUNTINGTON -- The Huntington Municipal Parking Board will move its administrative office into City Hall beginning May 1, Mayor David Felinton announced during a City Council meeting Monday.

Meter attendants also will fall under the control of the Huntington Police Department's traffic bureau as part of the move, Felinton said.

"We just think this is something that makes for better efficiency and communication," he said after the meeting.

The Parking Board's administrative office is now located in space that it owns at the corner of 3rd Avenue and 7th Street. The move to City Hall will allow the board to lease the space out and generate some revenue, Felinton said.

It also will allow the city to reopen the drive-up window in the alley behind City Hall where people can pay their parking tickets or city fees, Felinton said.

Asked why the Police Department's traffic bureau will be responsible for overseeing meter attendants, Felinton said he figured it "is more of a natural fit."

"The role (meter attendants) serve is complementary to the role of the traffic bureau," he said.

The meter attendants will still be paid out of Parking Board funds, Felinton said.

The administrative employees of the Parking Board, including Director Johnette Nelson, will retain their jobs, Felinton said.

The Parking Board's budget is separate from the city's general fund, and there are administrative functions that need to be performed because of that, he said. Nelson, who did not attend the meeting, makes $50,419.

In other business Monday, the council approved a resolution pledging $4,000 from hotel/motel tax revenue to help keep the state high school wrestling tournament in Huntington.

Tournament Director Bill Archer said Huntington, Wheeling and Charleston are all expected to submit bids to the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission next month. Huntington has hosted the tournament for the past 21 years.

The Cabell County Commission pledged $10,000 to the tournament earlier this month.

More than 400 wrestlers from 76 high schools competed in the tournament at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena last month.