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Felinton wants city to be creative hub
Huntington Mayor David Felinton at City Hall on Monday, Sept. 22, 2008.
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HUNTINGTON -- It's difficult to compare the David Felinton of today with the David Felinton who became Huntington's mayor in 2000.
The Pikesville, Md., native was only 25 when he scored a shocking victory over then Mayor Jean Dean. He was a recent Marshall University graduate who had never held a full-time job. Hardly a resume that one would expect from the mayor of West Virginia's second-largest city.
Budget issues plagued his first four years in office, partly because of a $1 million deficit that he walked into when he took office. To a large degree, focusing on long-term development plans and addressing infrastructure issues took a back seat to dousing whatever short-term financial fire popped up.
But Felinton was awarded a second term in convincing fashion in 2004 when he defeated six challengers in the Democratic primary and former Police Chief Gordon Ramey in the general election. Some voters said Felinton deserved another chance because he walked into a dire situation. Others blamed City Council for the city's inability to solve its financial struggles.
Increases to existing fees and the creation of a highly controversial one -- the user fee -- has provided some stability during Felinton's second term. But many residents complain that fee increases have not translated into better services.
"I've definitely had a lot of ups and downs, but it's made me a better mayor," Felinton said. "I've made mistakes, and I've learned from them."
The mayor says Huntington is better than it was four years ago because of growth in the downtown and his determination to create a long-term vision for the city.
"I acknowledge that Pullman Square was put together before my term in office, but we've made a point to strike while the iron is hot," he said. "We've built on Pullman with the changes on 9th Street and the changes that are about to begin on 4th Avenue for the Old Main Corridor."
Having a vibrant downtown is key to Felinton's long-term vision: Turning Huntington into the creative hub of Appalachia.
A creative, livable community has become just as important as job development, he said. If the city can provide a living environment that attracts a creative work force, the job situation will take care of itself, he said.
Felinton said the development of the Old Main Corridor on 4th Avenue, the implementation of a community art policy and better access to entrepreneurial development are among the things that will attract a creative work force to Huntington.
The city also has received a $50,000 Benedum Foundation grant to help establish a long-term plan. Felinton said the city is only a stakeholder in the long-term planning process. It's the community that will be the driving force behind it, he said.
Felinton said there are three things he would like to accomplish in his third term that would bring Huntington closer to becoming a livable community.
"I want us to have the most vibrant downtown for hundreds of miles. I want there to be a process where if someone has ideas for a business, that they know where to get set up and that it's an almost automated process. And I want people to feel safe again," he said.
Felinton has been criticized for his 2002 proposal (which was later approved by City Council) to lay off 16 police officers as a way to cut spending in the city budget. The move took the department down to 75 officers, but the staffing level has slowly risen to 94 since then.
The Police Department should have well over 100 officers, Felinton said, and he stressed he is committed to achieving that goal. But like other public services, the money isn't there now, he said. The city has been aggressive, however, in obtaining federal grants and private donations to help law enforcement, the mayor said.
Earlier this week, Huntington was awarded a $1 million "Weed and Seed" grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The goal of the grant is to increase law enforcement resources to weed out criminal activity and provide funding to seed in community revitalization programs.
"We'll only be able to use it to concentrate on certain geographic areas, but we'll be tackling crime where it's worst," Felinton said.
No matter who wins the mayor's race, it's likely that services will remain at their current levels for some time, Felinton said. But there are three things that will improve services over the long run, he said.
The first is continuing to push the Legislature for changes to municipal pensions. The mayor said he is in a prime position to do that because he was recently elected president of the West Virginia Municipal League.
The second is a 1 percent occupation tax, which the city gained the authority to implement under its home rule plan. The city has proposed to eliminate the $2-a-week user fee and reduce the business and occupation tax. It then would implement the occupation tax.
Though the changes initially would not bring in additional revenue, it would attract more businesses over time that would fortify the city's tax base, he said.
Lastly, the mayor said he is committed to making city employees pay more for health insurance, thereby reducing the city's annual contribution.
Felinton announced in June that he was unilaterally changing health insurance plans for all city employees and retirees, which prompted the police and fire department unions to challenge Felinton's decision in court.
Circuit Judge John Cummings ruled a few days later that Felinton could proceed with the new plan for employees, but must provide police and fire retirees with benefits under the old plan for four more months.
Felinton's administration has said the city could save up to $10 million over the next five years because of the insurance changes. But City Council members balked when he proposed a contract for non-uniformed city workers that included $3 hourly raises over a five-year period. The council rejected the contract.
Felinton said he was going to offer the same raises to the police and fire unions. Three-dollar hourly raises for all union employees over the next five years would cost the city approximately $6.6 million, according to estimates from city Finance Director Bob Wilhelm.
"Those (health insurance) savings are projections. There are no guarantees," Councilman Cal Kent said in August. "And since we don't have any guaranteed revenue increases, I don't think we should be granting guaranteed raises, especially of that magnitude."
Felinton, however, says his administration's projected health insurance savings are firm. He also cited a 2006 Marshall University study that reviewed the city's finances. The study stated that employees would have to pay more for insurance, but that the changes would have to be coupled with pay raises.
"We're in a tough position," Felinton said. "It's nearly impossible to expect the city's unions to approve a contract that makes them pay more for less health care and does not include any pay raises."
This is the last of three stories profiling the candidates for Huntington mayor. Profiles of independents Tom McCallister and Robin Howell were in Thursday's Herald-Dispatch and a profile of Republican Kim Wolfe was in Friday's edition.
