HUNTINGTON -- Huntington City Council approved two budgets and heard reports on three others during Saturday's last meeting for the 2010-2011 budget.

The three-hour session included a review of municipal court, parking board, Big Sandy Superstore Arena, the enterprise fund and insurance.

Insurance will see an increase of $565,000, up from the original estimate of budget figure of $8.42 million. Finance Director Deron Runyon said the city will pay about $197,000 more by the end of this fiscal year for higher-than-estimated insurance costs.

Council also approved the $1.17 million budget for the Huntington Municipal Parking Board. It has increased in recent years, said Director Mike Wilson, because there have been carry-over revenues.

The new budget includes the financial support of a veteran police officer from the Huntington Police Department, who will focus on enforcing downtown parking laws that meter attendants cannot. This includes those parked in front of fire hydrants, in alleys and in loading zones.

"People take advantage of our system, knowing Huntington police doesn't have the resources (to enforce)," Wilson said.

He said he expects the $44,000 expenditure, which includes a salary of $34,000, to be revenue neutral based on the amount of parking fines to be collected. Wilson said if collections come in at 60 percent, it will break even. Anything above that will increase the parking board's carryover and amount paid to the city's general fund. And, the officer would be replaced within the police department, confirmed Chief Skip Holbrook.

Council also approved the budget for the arena, with the city's subsidy at $224,000. That is about $25,000 less than this year and about half of the subsidy from the 2008-2009 fiscal year, which came during the height of the economic recession.

General Manager A.J. Boleski said the budget includes the cutting of the director of sales position that council approved two or three years ago, when the arena only needed a $57,000 subsidy. The savings of $60,000 will be offset by the loss of a major Christmas party to a company that recently closed its doors.

Boleski also said that another $18,000 was cut from General and Administrative, including his travels to two annual entertainment conventions.

Boleski also told council members that he hopes the summer budget, which is usually where the city's subsidy helps the most, will see a big improvement in July. That month, the arena will host a wrestling show that has not been officially announced.

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