HUNTINGTON — Huntington City Council voted Monday evening to accept stimulus dollars that will be used to provide a safer, more inviting link between two key components of the downtown.

The $160,000 grant from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act will be spent on a variety of improvements to 2 1/2 Alley between 10th and 11th streets. The city and Huntington-Ironton Empowerment Zone will kick in $40,000 as a local match.

The council voted 9-0 to accept the funding. Councilman Steve Williams was absent and Councilman Nate Randolph abstained from voting because he is employed by an architectural firm that has worked on the project.

The alley has been identified as a vital link between Pullman Square and Heritage Village, which now is home to the Cabell-Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau. Heritage Village also includes a collection of shops and businesses at the old B&O Railroad depot.

The work will be administered by the state Division of Highways and will consist of a concrete sidewalk and curbs, ornamental streetlights and fencing and landscaping, said Charles Holley, director of development and planning for the city. The CVB is assisting with the project by working with American Electric Power to install a brick and panel fence around the electrical substation on the northwest corner of 11th Street and 2 1/2 Alley, he said.

The new fence will block pedestrians' view of the substation and will enhance the new streetscape design with decorative panels that emphasize the Ohio River, rail system and the role of coal in the national energy market, Holley said. The city is considering using removable panels so that they can be changed throughout the year, he said.

The entire project could be completed by as early as fall 2010.

The pedestrian corridor is part of a larger plan the city has to create a triangle of safe passages between Heritage Station, Pullman Square and Harris Riverfront Park. A stakeholders meeting is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, at Heritage Village to discuss the future of the riverfront, Holley said.

“It’s not just the park we will be talking about but how it fits into the overall picture of the downtown,” he said.

Here's a look at other items addressed by the council Monday:

DOG TETHERING: The council forwarded to a second reading an ordinance that prohibits the tethering of dogs unless the owner is present.

The council tried twice earlier this year to adopt such an ordinance, but it was tabled because of concerns about how it would be enforced.

The latest proposal is a simplified version of previous proposals that took into account factors such as the time of day and outside temperature.

"When I checked tethering laws throughout the U.S., I realized it is totally impossible to restrict it to certain times," Ritter said. "That's why this ordinance simply says you can't tether your dog unless you are there with it."

Fines would begin at $50 for the first offense and escalate to $500 for four or more offenses.

FIRE TRUCKS: The council unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance authorizing the purchase of a new pumper truck for the Fire Department for $347,680 and advanced to a second reading another ordinance to purchase a ladder truck for $974,799. The pumper truck will be lease-purchased over 10 years with general fund dollars and Cabell County fire levy funds.

TAX AUDITS: The council referred to its finance committee an ordinance that approves a contract with the law firm of Bailes, Craig and Yon to undertake business and occupation tax collections.

The law firm would contract with an accounting firm to perform audits of business and occupation taxes. The accounting firm would be paid no more than $75 an hour, while attorney fees would range from $150 to $285 per hour. Each audit would take no more than three hours to conduct, Finance Director Deron Runyon said.

The city already contracts with a Columbus, Ohio-based agency that collects delinquent municipal and refuse fees.

RESTAURANT: The council unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance rezoning the Adams Landing Marina in Guyandotte from R-2 residential to C-2 highway commercial.

The rezoning will allow the marina to open a restaurant called Schooner's Bar & Grill, marina owner Kenny Boggs said. The restaurant sits on a two-story converted barge that was once located on the Ohio River in Covington, Ky., he said. It would open sometime during the first quarter of 2010.

POLICE VEHICLES: The council forwarded to a second reading an ordinance authorizing the purchase of three 2010 Chevy Tahoes and one cruiser for the Police Department. The Tahoes are $83,213 and will be purchased with an Edward G. Byrne Department of Justice grant, Community Participation grant and collision-loss recovery funds from previously wrecked cruisers.

The cruiser is $24,290 and will be purchased with Byrne grant funds.

VOLLEYBALL TEAM: The council unanimously approved a resolution honoring the Spring Valley High School volleyball team for winning the state Class AAA championship on Nov. 14.

 


 

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