It’s not official, funding hasn’t been approved and a price for it has yet to be determined, but Bridgeport City Manager Kim Haws informed City Council Monday night that he’s looking to do a major upgrade and an expansion to a one of the municipality’s oldest buildings.

 

 “We’re looking at remodeling the fire department building (on Main Street) … It’s really antiquated,” Haws told Council.

 

The building in the heart of the city’s downtown has served Bridgeport for decades – and well before it was solely a fire station. At one time the building also housed other offices, including city staff offices.

 

“The old city hall and city offices were there and it’s just outlived its effectiveness in terms of organization and how it flows and what best serves our staff down there,” said Haws. “We want to expand it a little bit and have to reconfigure the space.”

 

Haws said there hasn’t been any pricing done to it on a formal basis. However, he said it is project that will likely be in the six figure range as opposed to one costing tens of thousands of dollars. The funding, Haws said, will likely be recommended to City Council as part of the fund balance or one-time business and occupation taxes the city takes in annually.

 

“There are floors that are sagging and one of the floors has recently just given out,” said Haws. “It’s just time and, at a minimum, it’s at least time to at least give it a look.”

 

Bridgeport has expanded operations in the past, including opening the new substation on Jerry Dove Drive. Land was also purchased for a potential library expansion. What makes the expansion part of this more affordable is one key fact.

 

“We own the land where we would expand, and we’re not talking a major expansion,” said Haws. “When you’re not putting (land acquisition) into the overall cost structure, that’s huge.”

 

Council will likely begin considering whether to approve the project within the next month. The city’s governing body generally begins looking at the fund balance, or money over expenses spent by the city during the ongoing fiscal year, at this time annually.

 

Haws broached several other projects either in the works or being planned. He talked about the progress of the new Volkswagen and Audi dealership along Lodgeville Road, which was reported on by Connect-Bridgeport earlier this month HERE.

 

Council member John Wilson also spoke near the end of meeting with a request for the public to look at the ongoing “Gigaport” high speed internet project and considering taking advantage of the one-of-a-kind city wide project in the state. Click HERE to read about that story, which includes a link to the site with Gigaport information, which ran Friday.

 

The bulk of the relatively short meeting involved appointments and proclamations. The meetings appointments included ballot commissioners for the city’s 2017 election. The commissioners given the okay by Council were Carole Kinard and Lisa McKitrick, who City Clerk Andrea Kerr said have handled the responsibility for years. The city election will take place June 13 and the position of mayor and three City Council seats are up.

 

Bridgeport’s Council voted to make the recommendation of James Griffin to the Harrison County Commission and the City of Clarksburg or the city’s appointment to the CENTRA Board of Directors. And finally, a pair of reappointments to the Bridgeport Development Authority were given the thumbs up as Okey and Bob Rector were both appointed to three-year terms to the BDA.

 

Proclamations were given by Bridgeport Mayor Robert “Bob” Greer. The first proclamation to Steve Dunham for his outstanding work with the Drug Free Clubs of America, while the second proclamation was given to Melissa Matheny, who was representing NALES (National Alliance for Law Enforcement Officers) for Paint the Town Blue efforts in the City of Bridgeport.

 

The last item of business involved Council member Lowell Maxey asking those taking part in the "Paint the Town Blue" efforts on behalf of law enforcement, and particularly fallen law officers, to remember Bridgeport's own Derek Hotsinpiller. Thursday will mark the sixth anniversary of his death while serving as a member of the U.S. Marshals.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows City Manager Kim Haws during a light hearted moment during his report Monday, while Mayor Robert "Bob" Greer, right presents a proclamation to Steve Dunham and in the third photo he is presenting a proclamation to Melissa Matheny. Bottom photo is of City Council member Lowell "LJ" Maxey.