HUNTINGTON -- A city ordinance that creates a funding source to help pay for a teen court in Cabell County advanced to a second reading Monday.

A coalition of agencies, including Cabell County Schools and United Way of the River Cities, attended the meeting to show their support for the proposal.

The ordinance assesses a $5 fee on all municipal court cases except for parking violations. The funding would go toward hiring a part-time coordinator to help run the court, which could begin as early as October.

The teen court would be for young people who are between the ages of 11 and 17 and are nonviolent first offenders. Teens would have to be referred to the court by law enforcement or school officials.

Teenagers would serve on the jury and act as prosecutors, defense attorneys and court bailiffs during hearings once a week at the Cabell County Courthouse. An adult judge would preside over the court to ensure cases proceed accordingly.

Teen courts were authorized by the West Virginia Legislature in 2006. Nine counties are now using them and several more are in development, said Greg Puckett, executive director of the West Virginia Teen Court Association. Because of Cabell's size and community support for the program, other counties will look at it as a model, he said.

Council members' questions centered on whether the program has reduced the juvenile recidivism rate in other counties. Puckett responded that his association does not have statewide data yet, because counties are using their own methods to track data. A uniform data-collection system should be in place in the near future, he said.

Puckett added that most kids who appear in teen court otherwise wouldn't be charged with a crime.

"But bringing them in early before their behavior gets worse is valuable," he said.

Here's a look at other action taken during Monday's meeting:

STREET LIGHTS: The council approved two ordinances -- both by an 8-1 vote -- that authorize contracts with Appalachian Power to maintain 3,816 street lights. The 10-year contracts continue rates necessary to maintain the lights. The city was charged $25,952 on its most recent billing statement.

Councilwoman Frances Jackson was the lone dissenting vote. She has voiced concerns that allowing Appalachian Power to set the rates in the contract is not conducive to getting broken street lights fixed in a timely manner.

LEDA GRANTS: The council unanimously approved three resolutions authorizing Mayor Kim Wolfe to apply for Local Economic Development Assistance grants on behalf of the Huntington Museum of Art and Madie Carroll Preservation Society. The grants total $32,500. The council also unanimously approved a resolution accepting a $2,500 LEDA grant on behalf of the Huntington Municipal Development Authority for staging equipment at Harris Riverfront Park for Ribfest.

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