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• Wolfe proposes fee increase

Here is the text of Huntington Mayor Kim Wolfe's State of the City speech, which was given on Friday at Huntington City Hall:

Good afternoon, Chairperson Insco, members of Council, employees, fellow citizens and friends of Huntington.

You know by now that I am an eternal optimist -- our community glass is three-quarters full, not half empty as some would like to believe. We all want this City to grow. But it is extremely difficult in these national economic times to focus on local progress. The effects of the recession have touched even us, in our insulated communities. Daily we read or hear of business closures and employee layoffs. Many of these financial challenges are out of the realm of our control locally, but we will do everything possible to foster a strong business climate in the City.

I understand the value and merit of placing emphasis on economic development and making the City of Huntington a more attractive community for the creative workforce. But in order for a creative community to thrive, we must first strengthen our foundation. It is my belief that in order for a community to prosper, we must first provide adequate protection and services to our citizens and businesses. I believe that this foundation must begin with our fiscal responsibility as a municipality.

Fiscal Responsibility

Today, 20 percent of Huntington’s budget goes toward pension plans for police and fire, and that figure will continue to grow unless municipalities and the state legislature find an appropriate solution to refinance our current funding practices. The fire and police pension contributions will grow by nearly $600,000 in the upcoming fiscal year to greater than $8.8 million.

Without legislative changes, the “Alternative Funding Method” increases at a rate of 7% per year. I, along with Deputy Mayor Tom Bell, Council members Steve Williams and Russ Houck, and Dr. Cal Kent, along with representatives from the local FOP and IAFF unions, and state legislators are working diligently to ensure successful pension reform this legislative session.

Frequently, while on the campaign trail, many residents would inquire as to why the City does not collect delinquent fees and taxes owed to it. In the last year, the Finance Department has enlisted the services of a third-party collection agency, Rossman & Co., to aide in its efforts. Since Rossman began its collection efforts in September, we have been able to generate just under $200,000 in previously uncollected fees. We will continue to use this agency for our delinquent collection efforts for Municipal and Refuse Fees.

Internally, our collection efforts will be focused on that of delinquent B&O taxes. Although it will be our last resort, businesses must know that their failure to pay B&O taxes in a timely manner will resort in our closure of that business. Additionally, this year our Finance Division will update critical accounting software to better serve our citizen customers and to continue timely collection of fees and taxes.

Clean and Safe Streets

As a former law enforcement officer, I recognize that before we begin to prosper as a community we need to further bolster the Huntington Police Department and its efforts to reduce crime in our communities. In 2008, the Huntington Police Department was able to increase its strength by seven. This was done by adding six additional positions through the general fund, and by contracting with Pullman Square, TTA and the Huntington-Ironton Empowerment Zone. This collaborative effort raised $60,000 for a full-time foot patrol officer in the downtown area. With the increase of additional officers, we were able to see a reduction in the City’s crime rate by 5.6 percent. Chief Skip Holbrook has informed me that four of these officers will be assigned to a specialty crime-fighting unit to even more directly attack crime.

Additionally, the department has seen an overwhelming response from citizens and businesses that feel it is important to invest in the police department’s technology. Such individuals helped in the creation of Supporting Technology for Our Protection, or STOP. This initiative, managed by Maxine Loudermilk and the City of Huntington Foundation, helps to build upon the COPS Technology Grant. With this combined effort, the department will be able to provide a laptop computer for each officer. Other agencies within Cabell County received funding for this project, and our portion is one element of a multi-agency technology enhancement program. HPD will be the first of the agencies to implement the system and will test and evaluate the system during March and April of this spring.

Building upon last year’s success, in the budget as proposed for the upcoming fiscal year we have included the hiring of four additional officers and three new cruisers. These officers will provide additional assets to enhance our patrol effectiveness and strengthen our community oriented policing. This year, we will continue to strengthen our long-standing relationship with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. As well as, the West Virginia State Police.

Currently, HPD provides one detective Lieutenant to coordinate and work with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agents on gun investigations. The success of the gun crime initiative is critical to our efforts to reduce violent crime. The commitment and partnership with each of our Federal Law Enforcement partners allows us to work investigations without constraints related to jurisdictional issues and/or geographical boundaries.

We have been able to recapture Federal dollars with the awarding of the Weed and Seed grant that will infuse Huntington with $1 million dollars over the next five years to eradicate drug crime and restore many of our centrally located, most vulnerable neighborhoods. I am excited about the first fruits of this grant; we are locating the program out of the former Barnet Child Care Center at 16th Street and 10th Avenue.

The Barnett Center provides a centrally located, highly visible locale for the grant program and will serve as a field office for many of our police department initiatives.

I will be bringing to Council in the near future a Chronic Nuisance Ordinance that provides a template to systematically attack problem residential and commercial properties, where excessive police calls, drug dealing, prostitution, loitering and/or physical altercations occur. This is a successful ordinance originally implemented in Portland, Oregon.

Also, we are working diligently to address the issue of dilapidated homes that plague each of our neighborhoods. Charles Holley, Director of Development and Planning, is pursuing innovative ways to address the unsafe building issues that we are faced with. In the near future we will able to unveil a new strategy to remove blighted properties that have become havens for illegal and drug activity.

I must commend Councilman Nate Randolph and the members of the Huntington Urban Renewal Authority for the creation of the Low Income Home Improvement Grant that will be available for owner-occupied homes in the late spring. The purpose of this grant is to provide low-income homeowners money to make exterior repairs and improvements to their homes. This is an exciting reinvestment of public monies into our neighborhoods.

Each councilperson present has heard from their constituents regarding the status of our roads. It is imperative that the streets of Huntington are repaired and/or paved in a timely matter. It is my goal that we build upon the paving projects of 2008 and establish a paving schedule in which streets are paved on a regular basis in each of the City’s districts. The roads most heavily or frequently traveled will be placed on this list.

Recently, Council authorized a purchase of a new street sweeper. This purchase will allow our Street Division to run two street sweepers simultaneously. The ultimate goal is to have all major streets within the City to be cleaned on a routine basis. With that in mind, I am requesting the adding of a Street Sweeper Operator to our Street Division and the purchase of a new Flusher truck to make our street-cleaning efforts more effective.

Responsive and Efficient Government

It is critical in our effort to become better stewards of the public’s money that we are more effective, responsive and efficient as we go about the day-to-day operations of the City. The goal is to make Huntington both business- and citizen-friendly.

Already there has been much talk regarding the proposed Constituent Service Liaison.

This is an extremely important position to aide in the responsiveness of our administration. I believe that citizens and businesses should receive timely attention and action on the issues that are critical to them, be it a pothole, public nuisance property, curb cuts or any other issues that plague our citizens. The Liaison would immediately address constituent issues or complaints; investigate and report the problem to the appropriate department; follow up to ensure the task was completed and, if not, why; report back to the citizen; and inform the council member what action has taken place. Additionally, I would like for the Liaison to facilitate the creation of a One-Stop Shop for inspections, permits and licenses. This will quickly and efficiently aide businesses and property owners through the City Hall maze of offices, thus making us more responsive to their needs. During the February 23rd meeting I will be asking Council to create and fund this position as soon as possible.

Early this month, I began conducting Open Houses out in the neighborhoods. Every third Tuesday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., I will continue to hold the Mayor’s Open House in my office at City Hall, but for all other Tuesdays I will be out in the community meeting with residents in their neighborhoods. Already, the two that I conducted in Fairfield West and Westmoreland have been extremely successful. This helps to forge even stronger alliances with the Councilpersons and the neighborhood associations. The next community Mayor’s Open House will be held at the Fairfield East Community Center on Tuesday, March 3rd.

The largest success of last year will have to be that of the City being awarded, as one of four communities, the Home Rule Pilot Project. This designation allows the City to focus on four critical areas: demolition of burned-out structures, establishment of a land bank fast-track authority, increased ability to collect fees and the opportunity to impose an occupation tax.

Because customer service drives all that we do as a community, in the proposed budget we are seeking increases in training for our employees. In particular, we are seeking additional training for police officers, finance personnel and our Information Technology Department.

Every day, we are trying to improve as leaders and employees in our professionalism and service to the citizens and businesses of this great city. Additionally, in our efforts to create a more business-friendly environment, we will continue to fund the efforts of the Downtown Redevelopment Project. In 2008, we completed the third phase of the project. This was a $1 million endeavor funded through TIF Bond proceeds, CDBG and Empowerment Zone grant funds. This year we will also begin the second phase of the Old Main Corridor project.

It has been 44 days since I was sworn in as Mayor. Over the course of the last six weeks I have been impressed each day by the professionalism and work ethic of city employees and the leadership exhibited by supervisors and department heads. I must take this opportunity to commend them for their willingness to support and by into the vision I hold for this city and I look forward to working with each of them in making our city great.

Collaboration

As I mentioned earlier regarding the importance of collaboration, as with the new downtown police officer, we are continually looking for different ways to enhance and expand upon the services that we provide. One that has received significant attention is the potential partnership with the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation District for the management of Harris Riverfront Park. The expertise that Jim McClelland possesses is unparalleled in the state. I am a firm believer that if such know-how is available in our region, we must tap that resource. Turning the operations of Harris Riverfront Park over to the Park District is in the best interest of the residents and visitors of our downtown.

In our quest to address housing issues, enough cannot be said regarding the Huntington Area Habitat for Humanity and the Huntington Development Corporation’s role in the continued success of the Artisan Avenue Redevelopment Project. Last year alone, Habitat for Humanity turned the keys over to four new homeowners on Artisan Avenue, with the promise of additional homes being built this year. The Housing Development Corporation is in the process of constructing four new homes for homeownership. The Redevelopment Project will continue this year and will expand further down Artisan Avenue, and will include components of 9th Avenue.

No presentation regarding the progress and future of our city is complete without the recognition of Marshall University and the Marshall Community and Technical College. Both of these educational institutions are valuable resources for our community in educating our workforce and providing quality jobs for our citizens. We will continue to partner with the University and the CTC in their efforts to grow and to improve the educational experience for our citizens.

Huntington is a city with streets of brick, and I would like for us to begin working with community organizations and volunteers for the restoration of many of our brick streets. Statistics show that well-maintained brick streets increase property values, and I must commend Parker Ward and other like-minded volunteers who believe this is a significant asset to our community, and thank them for the time they have invested in researching and identifying potential methods and funding sources.

All one has to do is drive around to see the efforts of Gene and Robin Howell and the other volunteers of the Huntington Area Revitalization Committee. This committee seeks to take ownership in addressing some of the most unsightly public spaces in our community. Last year, members of HARC invested their time, money and resources into beautification projects around downtown Huntington.

Create Huntington has been at the forefront of leading the civic engagement charge in our community. Under the leadership of Anne Durham, Phoebe Patton Randolph and Ostie Mathisen, this initiative has evolved into being the community facilitator for volunteers and organizations. The group received funding from the Benedum Foundation in 2008 to create a creative community vision and plan that sought insights from all segments of the population. This plan will be made available by early spring. Also, the group coordinated three different trips to study the best practices from other communities: the Artist Relocation Program in Paducah, Ky.; implementation of the Community Development Model in Morgantown, W.Va.; and the economic and community development ideologies of Development expert Dr. Vaughn Grisham in Tupelo and Oxford, Mississippi. Additionally, there are 20-plus community projects that are being facilitated. One of the most recent successes is the Chat and Chew concept, spearheaded by Thomas and Stacey McChesney, where citizens are encouraged to congregate on a weekly basis to share ideas and solutions. This event is held every Thursday evening at the Frederick Hotel. As a result of such activity, the City of Huntington has become the creative community leader in the state of West Virginia. Recently, a delegation from Wyoming County made a visit to our community to observe and learn what we are doing to set ourselves apart.

A special note must be made regarding the efforts of Mission Tri-State. Mission Tri-State is a consortium of local ministers who have come together with the purpose of unifying believers and praying for our community. Last year, they sponsored the “Invitation” which invited God’s presence into our City, and recently they completed the 21-day fast and prayer services of the “Divine Experiment.” These men and women of God are truly leading a spiritual awakening of our community.

As a lifelong resident of our community, I have never seen such civic engagement, ownership and pride in solving our community challenges, with organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Huntington Rotary Club, United Way of the River Cities and the Neighborhood Institute, to name a few, that have helped to lead the charge. This sense of ownership by organizations, businesses and volunteers is imperative. Although I would like for the City to be able to solve all of the issues in our communities, we are unable to do so with citizen involvement, and I applaud each citizen that has become one of our problem solvers.

Budget

Over the past several years, federal income tax rates have continued to decrease. All taxpayers have enjoyed a decrease in tax rates from the highest to the lowest income. Additionally, more working families with children are also receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit. This policy has led to more money in the pockets of our citizens and a subsequent decrease in the amount of federal funds available to local governments.

Two reliable sources of federal grant dollars have seen decreases in annual funding. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program has continued to receive less money over the past few years. The Huntington-Ironton Empowerment Zone, long a recipient of federal grants, no longer receives any new grant dollars. There are multiple other examples that affect the City of Huntington.

With fewer direct federal grant dollars available, cities must look for additional local revenue sources to continue the needed services they provide. The City of Huntington is proposing an increase in the City Service Fee. The City Service Fee would increase $1.00 per week to a total of $3.00 per week per employee. For less than the price of one bottle of soda per week, the City will be able to provide the much-needed services each citizen demands. We will be asking Council to impose this fee in May 2009.

An increase in the hotel/motel tax revenue is expected due to the opening of the TownePlace Suites at Kinetic Park. This revenue source must be dedicated to tourism-related activities. These funds are used to finance the Big Sandy Superstore Arena and the proposed contract for the management of Harris Riverfront Park by the Greater Huntington Parks & Recreation District.

Additional increases in revenue are expected from B&O taxes and the utilities tax due to continued construction projects and the increased revenue from utilities. No increases in B&O tax rates or utility tax rates are proposed.

Property tax revenue is proposed to increase slightly due to a small increase in property values over the last few years.

No changes are proposed to the Municipal Service Fee rates. Small increases in revenue are projected due to increased collection efforts.

Although we are seeking an increase in the user fee by $1.00 and philosophically I am against fee increases, it is a necessity for us to return to the foundation of government – protection of citizens and quality services. When speaking with Council members and residents, I know that a major concern regarding any proposed fee increase is whether or not citizens will be able to see an increase in services. Every dollar raised of the projected $1.6 million increase in revenue will go back to the citizens in services, or by making us better administratively to meet constituent needs.

All new spending is related to meeting basic citizen needs. An increase in the number of police officers is vital to the public safety of the entire city. Additionally, the addition of another sweeper operator will allow for twice the street sweeping capacity as seen today. The much-needed equipment purchases for the Public Works Department will slowly help us address our issues of an aging, unreliable fleet.

Finally, there are deferred maintenance needs for many of the City’s buildings. City Hall will soon celebrate a century of service to its citizens. It is in need of repairs and basic needs such as painting and new floor coverings. Much like City Hall, the City garage is showing its age. The garage is in need of a new roof and the removal of a smokestack, along with the installation of a new boiler. These capital improvements are not extravagant. They simply help the City meet its basic needs. We are looking strategically at our long-range needs and we will bring those points to Council in the coming days.

Many of the challenges we face as a community have taken years to develop. I must caution those who would like to complain about the lack of immediate change – we will be unable to effectively correct those issues overnight. I am asking for the citizens to have confidence that we are heading in the right direction and the desired changes will take place. We as City leaders recognize that only with patience, hard work and perseverance will this become a reality. I am prepared to work with you toward greater fiscal responsibility, safer and cleaner communities, and a more responsive and efficient government, and to foster greater collaboration with volunteers and agencies. It is truly an honor to be your Mayor, I do not hold the position lightly, and my mission is to work alongside you continually to improve the Jewel City. Thank you, and may God bless you, and continue to bless Huntington.
 

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