Liaisons, Animals and Trust Issues: Huntington Budget Session 3

To make the budget work, Mayor Wolfe asked department heads to find a way to cut $30,000.  He said the only way he could think to make that work in his office would to be to eliminate a relatively new position, created at the beginning of the 2010-2011 fiscal year. It is titled the constituent Liaison.

City council members were not happy with this proposal.

This person acts as the link between the council and the public to make communication and reaction more expedient.  The mayor said it was nothing personal, there was just nothing else that he could cut.  Council member Insco said since the position was created both the council and the people get answers faster than ever before.  He asked Wolfe to come up with some idea so as not to get rid of the title.  This was both moved and seconded.  The council was so willing to reinstate to position that many, prompted by Council member Williams agreed to meet at a later time to find a way to generate the revenue to allocate to it.  Several members such as council members Ritter and Jackson said they were skeptical of the position at first--because he happened to be a friend of the mayor's--however they quickly changed their minds once it became effective.  

The second matter of contention was funding for the Cabell-Wayne Animal Shelter.  Insco proposed that the city of Huntington should remove $100,000 of its from the shelter and move $500 into contingency.  Both Cabell and Wayne Counties fund the shelter, but Huntington is the only municipality that actually supports it.  This did not sit well with most of council.  Insco said he simply wants to prove a point, but Wolfe--a former humane officer--said the way to do so is probably not to devastate the budget.  Council member James Ritter said the city is not in much of a position to complain about funding.  Wayne county deals mostly with big animals such as horses, but it still pay for cat and dog fees, Ritter, nearly in tears, explained.

Insco said he did not plan to let the point extend its purpose.  He said he hopes the other municipalities will contribute and resolve the problem, and that he would not pursue this if he did not think it would come together by July first.  He said if other municipalities do not consider it to be of importance a jolt might make them think differently. For now, Huntington will no longer fund the shelter, except through Cabell county funds.  

Police funding was on the agenda, though most of that part of the meeting focused on a single, long-time member of the department--a maintenance worker named Roger.  Some city council members as well as city workers were concerned about the security of documents and information in the building, but Police Chief Skip Holbrook said this had never been a concern and was not one at the time.  the city wanted to use a part-time cleaning service the city has been using, but Holbrook pointed out the switch would be both necessary and detrimental because he would not trust the new people and because Roger is both reliable and a jack of all trades.  They say he is capable of fixing things around the department and is always willing to come in.  He said he estimates Roger saves the department a good amount of money in extra fees and services.  Brandi Jacobs-Jones said a cost-benefit analysis begged to differ.  

A controversial item included new business and occupation compliance and supervision software that would go with the renovation of a room meant for the same purpose.  This would eliminate eight positions--though there was argument over whether to eliminate those eight and create one supervisory role.

To conclude this post, one of the most ear-catching parts of the session--when asked what was new in legal, the answer was this: Nothin.'