The City of Bridgeport will see a whole lot of projects in the near future thanks to the approval of a pair of budget revisions this evening. Thanks to what turned into a healthy 2014-15 fiscal year, the city’s governing body officially approved where to send more than $2 million in additional revenue.

 

The big revision of the evening was the city’s General Fund Budget Revision #1, which allocated nearly $2.1 million in fund balance left over from the 2014-15 fiscal year budget. Finance Director Monica Musgrave said the Fund Balance was $2,091,696. 

 

“Off the top we have to allocate 10 percent ($209,120) to the (city’s) Rainy Day Fund,” said Musgrave.

 

Both Musgrave and City Manager Kim Haws broke down portions of the budget revisions. And even with money going to the rainy day fund, a sizable balance was left. The total allocated for a number of projects this evening was nearly $1.9 million. The following projects were approved under the revision:

 

·         $10,000 to replace the carpet in Council Chambers

·         $18,000 to replace sidewalks and improve drainage on Johnson Avenue below the current sewer/drainage/sidewalk project

·         $8,000 additional funds for improvement of appearance of the bridge on Center Street

·         $7,500 for additional lights on Main Street at the crossing by Dairy Queen

·         $30,000 to update the park master plan

·         $25,507 in additional funds for the Hinkle & Deegan Lakes Park Tennis Court project (see next revision below)

·         $70,000 for a concession stand/storage at the City Park

·         $12,000 for additional netting for the field next to the playground at the Rec Complex

·         $16,264 in hotel/motel tax to be transferred to GBCVC and for park development

 

Even with those projects, plenty of funds remained. The balance of $1,683,005 will be transferred to Capital Reserve for “Future Council Appropriation for Capital Projects,” Musgrave said.

 

Council also approved Capital Reserve Fund Revision #1, which allocated $128,493 of the city’s take of the 6 percent (the city gets 3 percent) hotel/motel tax that was left from the 2014-15 fiscal year budget. Finance Director Monica Musgrave said that the money is being used for park development, which is one of the areas allowed under the tax. The money for this will go toward the Hinkle & Deegan Lakes Tennis Courts. Although $160,000 has already been budgeted for the project (Click HERE for that story), Musgrave said an additional $100,000 was needed. Of that total, $54,000 was for fencing.

 

Another highlight this evening came when Bridgeport High School senior-to-be Eva MacFarland was officially presented with her Benedum Fellows Youth Service Award. Mayor Robert “Bob” Greer was joined by Benedum Festival officials Jason McCall and Robert and Ruth Allen in presenting MacFarland with her plaque for her contributions to the community and beyond.

 

Council also approved a resolution for CityNet to provide fiber optic cable to what would amount to the majority of homes in Bridgeport. More on that later on Connect-Bridgeport.com.

 

In other business, Council:

 

- Approved a resolution asking for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to assign a Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS) to the Northern District of West Virginia. The resolution asks the Northern District to have the same staffing as others nationwide from a DEA initiative that began in 2009. Only Southern West Virginia’s district has the TDS squad. Mayor Robert “Bob” Greer is going to lobby other mayors in the northern district to draft similar legislation.

 

- Authorized the Harrison County Commission to appoint Haws, Assistant City Manager Jimmy Smith, or City Clerk Andrea Kerr to the Harrison County Development Authority.

 

- Heard from Smith on a proposed trail that would loop the backside of Hinkle Lake away from Route 58 and toward the lake access road just off city property. The city has allotted $30,000 for the trail, which will include a steel walking bridge. Smith said there was no immediate timetable for the project.

 

- Authorized City Engineer Tom Brown as a voting delegate at the 30th Annual Business Meeting of the West Virginia Rural Water Association; and Jared Cummons, Bridgeport’s Superintendent of Utilities, as alternate delegate.

 

- Saw new City Record Harry M. "Hank" Murray swore in prior to the official meeting by Greer. Murray was unable to attend the first meeting where new members were swore in.

 

- Reappointed Library Board member Barbara Bean and Police Civil Service Commission member Ken Winkie

 

- Approved the 2015 pavement striping project with PSI, LLC for $15,220. The striping, which will cover 30,000 linear feet, is for city roadways situated in White Oaks, Charles Pointe and leading to the Meadowbrook Mall.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows City Manager Kim Haws as he addresses Council, while Finance Director Monica Musgrave breaks down budget revisions in the second photo. Mayor Robert Greer is shown presenting BHS student Eva MacFarland with her Benedum Fellows Youth Service award, while new City Recorder Hank Murray signs his official papers after being sworn in prior to this evening's meeting.