Since taking office just two weeks ago, Mayor Andy Lang has – in addition to conducting two City Council meetings – attended meetings of the Benedum Airport Authority, Bridgeport Utility Board and Harrison County Commission, sworn in two new members of Bridgeport Volunteers in Police Services, cut the ribbon on the new Beyond Beauty salon on Route 50, toured the city’s sewage treatment plant and has been involved with a planning session of the new proposed indoor recreation complex, among other duties.

 

“I find the city to be very dynamic with a lot of moving parts and lots of people committed with years of dedication to their jobs,” he said. “And I appreciate that even more as I get to know them all.”

 

It’s that dedication to public service that makes for daily community happenings and Lang expressed his appreciation to all involved. 

 

As tonight’s Bridgeport City Council meeting got under way, Lang gained yet another responsibility as he, by unanimous vote, was appointed to the Bridgeport Development Authority for a term of three years. 

An item of new business - and one discussed in detail during a work session which preceded tonight’s Council meeting – was a budget revision to the city’s general fund, allocating the June 30 fund balance.

 

“It is required by the state to be done by the end of July, appropriating the fund balance – funds left over from the previous fiscal year,” said Finance Director Monica Musgrave. “We take those funds left over – along with some additional funds moved from the capital projects fund - projects which have been completed - and appropriate those monies to projects left over when we did the fiscal year budget.”

 

When creating the fiscal year budget for 2017-2018, Council was able to fund all Priority A projects requested by various department heads. As was unanimously approved tonight via roll call by Council members, the fund balance will be utilized, in part, to fund Priority B and C items. 

 

Added to an unassigned fund balance of $1,272,969 was $146,168 which remained upon completion of capital reserve projects. Some of the bigger line items to come out of that combined $1,636,298 include $450,000 escrowed for renovation of the Main Street building which houses Bridgeport Fire Department; $162,700 for various city equipment, software and improvements; $114,650 for police and fire department equipment – from cruiser cameras to defensive tactics apparel; a first-year escrow of $100,000 for a proposed new city swimming pool and $143,849 transferred to Capital Reserves for improvements to Route 131 property potentially to be purchased from the Benedum Airport Authority.

 

The city will also appropriate $149,013 – 10 percent of the fund balance – to a rainy day fund, per city ordinance, and fund a work flow study regarding city employee productivity, among other projects. 

 

In other financial matters, Council approved a $7,000 capital reserve fund budget revision for repair and maintenance of lights at City Park fields. The matter came to the city’s attention just this past Friday when Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Joe Shuttleworth discovered that one of those lights – located in the lower fields utilized for soccer and flag football – had been damaged in a recent storm. 

 

“Since we’ll be bringing in a contractor, we thought we’d not only repair that fixture, but all address the other 14 fixtures at that location,” said City Manager Kim Haws. 

 

That upgrade work, to be done by MUSCO Lighting, will include cleaning lenses, replacing bulbs and various other general maintenance that will – pending another storm or unforeseen circumstance – bring the lighting system to top working condition for the next several years, Haws said.

Council also voted unanimously to submit a letter of support with regard to North Central West Virginia Airport’s proposed new Essential Air Service carrier, SkyWest. 

 

“This (carrier) really has potential for some great opportunities for this area,” Haws said. “…I was talking with (Airport Executive Director) Mr. (Rick) Rock this afternoon and he’s pretty excited. He’s convinced that this company has the wherewithal to be effective and we want to help make that happen.”

 

Lang, who sits on the Benedum Airport Authority board, added that SkyWest is a sister carrier to United. Utilizing 400 planes and 1200 employees, the carrier will be a welcome addition to the airport, replacing a former carrier with which the airport experienced various delayed flights and other problems. 

 

City Attorney Dean Ramsey explained that the city’s role is to only provide written support of the carrier and that if  SkyWest is approved  as the airport's new EAS carrier by the U.S. Department of Transportation, that entity will contract directly with SkyWest. The city is not being asked to financially support the addition of the carrier, Ramsey said. 

 

Lang reminded Council that the letter had to be submitted by the DOT’s deadline – tomorrow, July 25. Haws said he will make sure that happens. 

 

In his city manager’s report, Haws touched on a few major city projects. Fencing was just completed today on the new tennis courts at Deegan Lake, finalizing the long-awaited project. The courts are now ready for play, he said.

 

Haws also talked about National Night Out slated for 6-9 p.m. Tues., Aug. 1 at Bridgeport Municipal Pool and Benedum Civic Center grounds. Sponsored by the city and Bridgeport Police Department, the event features free swimming, live entertainment, door prizes and vendors set up with free food  and drinks. 

Haws’ final item of discussion was the Main Street water and sewer line upgrade work that has taken place over recent months. 

 

“That project is finally complete as far as the connection to laterals,” he said. (This week), major clean-up is taking place and a contractor will then come in – working at night – to complete paving of Main Street, which I’m sure we will all appreciate.” 

 

After explanation by Community Development Director Randy Spellman, Council also voted to approve a request from resident Jim Devericks for abandonment of a portion of an alley located on East Olive Street. Devericks, Spellman said, plans to build a home and the alley abandonment will enable him to construct that home in a more favorable position. 

 

“His property is in a flood plain and this abandonment will allow him to slide the home higher up the hill,” Spellman said. “He’ll still have some flood plain requirements to adhere to, but this will be a better place for the house.”

 

The property runs from East Olive Street to an alleyway parallel to East Olive and halfway up Broadway Avenue. 

 

As is protocol, a petition was signed by all owners of adjoining property and there were no issues with the request, Spellman said. 

 

With the request now approved, the next steps of the abandonment process is forthcoming, including a public hearing.

 

It was noted that Councilman Bob Greer was excused from tonight's general meeting and work session as he is attending the Boy Scout Jamboree at The Summit Bechtel Reserve in southern West Virginia. Today, President Donald Trump paid a visit to the event, attended by some 40,000 scout members and leaders. 

 

Also tonight: