City Council Meets Tonight, Addressing Fire Department Renovations, Annexation of Small Development
By Julie Perine on December 11, 2017 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
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Bridgeport City Council’s first meeting of December features a light agenda. Following an invocation by Father Benny Kappa of All Saints Catholic Church, Mayor Andy Lang will present his report, as will City Manager Kim Haws.
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To follow will be recognition of a city sports team and a city employee. The Bridgeport PeeWee Red Football Team will receive a proclamation for winning the Mountaineer Youth Football Championship and Emergency Services Director Laura Pysz will be recognized for receiving the John Tagg Memorial Emergency Manger of the Year Award at the West Virginia Emergency Management Council held in Bridgeport last month.
“It’s very humbling that my peers think I’m doing that great of a job,” said Pysz, after learning the news Nov. 17. “Of all 55 counties and three jurisdictions, they picked me for this and that’s heartwarming. It really is.”
With no unfinished business from Council’s last meeting, a short laundry list of new business items will be addressed. The city’s governing body will request and approve the contract for the city’s fire department renovation project to The Thrasher Group, Inc. for architectural and engineering services.
At the Oct. 9 meeting of Bridgeport City Council, Lang said the total estimated cost for the project is around $900,000; $450,000 of which was appropriated from this year’s fund balance.
At an October work session, Community Development Director Randy Spellman provided a synopsis of the proposed upgrade work.
“Built in 1963 by Ray Blake, it is a great building, but we’re starting to put band-aids where, in fact, we need stitches,” he said. “The front of the building has outlived its useful life.”
The proposed plan, Spellman said, is to tear off the front of the building, adding a small entry vestibule. Entry into the building can be through the front or the back, where a two-story training area will be located.
“We’ve also moved all the residential type amenities like the washer/dryer, bunk rooms, kitchen and lounge area upstairs,” Spellman said. “Downstairs will be training area, offices, administration and, of course, the garage.”
Monday night, Council will also address the request and resolution to accept London Court into the city infrastructure system.
“London Court is just three houses right beside Center Court on West Philadelphia Avenue,” Spellman said. “When (structures) were constructed, the contractor wanted to keep it as a private street because I believe there were fewer requirements, but now residents are starting to run into issues with GPS location and also issues with 911, so they have requested to be recognized as a city street for upkeep reasons, but primarily for location and identification purposes.”
Last, but not least, Council will vote to approve Capital Reserve Fund Budget Revision No. 4 and any other budget revisions or authorizations deemed necessary.
Budget Revision No. 4, said Finance Director Monica Musgrave, is to provide additional funds for the Fire Department renovation project.
"There was $450,000 provided in the original general fund budget for the first year of a two-year escrow," she said.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at Bridgeport Municipal Building and will be preceded by a 6:15 p.m. work session.
