Council Faces Busy Slate for Second July Meeting
By Julie Perine on July 24, 2017 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
At tonight's Bridgeport City Council meeting, Mayor Andy Lang will delve into another facet of city business as he is appointed to the Bridgeport Development Authority.
Lang will serve as Council’s representative on the board, upon Council’s approval, for a term of three years.
“Council’s representative doesn’t have to be the mayor, but (Lang) and (former Mayor) Bob (Greer) had talked about it and Bob is going to stay on the planning commission and Andy wanted to be on the development authority,” said Bridgeport Community Development Director Randy Spellman.
On some boards, such as the Bridgeport Utility Board, it is a requirement that the mayor serve. On the BDA, it’s not a requirement, but an unwritten rule, of sorts, Spellman said.
On this evening's Council agenda, there is one item of business originating from the most recent development authority meeting. Council will consider an alley abandonment request from Jim Devericks concerning property situate at 446 East Olive Street.
“That is an individual who lives along an unopened alley who is wanting to build a new house. To place the house where he would like, an alley abandonment would give him seven and a half feet for setbacks,” Spellman said. “Through the process, there has been a petition signed by everybody who has property adjoining the unopened alley.”
The request comes to Council for consideration and if approved, a public hearing and formal abandonment will follow, Spellman said.
Council will also approve a letter of support for Benedum Airport Authority’s selection of SkyWest as North Central West Virginia Airport’s new Essential Air Service carrier. At Wednesday’s airport authority meeting, members unanimously voted to accept the recommendation of the air service development committee’s endorsement of SkyWest as the airport’s new EAS carrier. SkyWest will feature 12 weekly flights to Washington Dulles (IAD) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) via the 50-seat Canadair Regional Jet aircraft and operating under the United Express designation.
Airport Director Rick Rock said the U.S. Department of Transportation – which has to approve the selection - has requested public comments be submitted prior to tomorrow. Rock also said he is confident the public – especially the business community – will welcome the new carrier.
In other matters, Council will vote to authorize City Engineer Beth Fox as a voting delegate at the 32nd Annual Business Meeting of the West Virginia Rural Water Association, to be held in Charleston September 9-13. Superintendent of Utilities Jared V. Cummons will be considered as the alternative voting delegate.
The city's governing body will also act on reappointing Dan Ferrell to the Bridgeport Library Board for a term of five years.
"Dan has been on the board for around two years," said Bridgeport Public Library Director Sharon Saye. "His engineering background has been particularly helpful, especially as we are looking ahead at new projects involving new lighting, ceiling and carpet."
The library board, which typically meets every other month, is concerned with the future of the library and its building and acts on policies and projects that enhance community value, Saye said.
The final item of business scheduled for tonight's meeting is a general fund budget revision – the first of the new fiscal year.
“Council will be allocating the fund balance from June 30, 2017 to cover capital items and capital projects left over from the original fiscal year 17/18 general fund budget,” said Finance Director Monica Musgrave.
Tonight's meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Council Chambers inside Bridgeport Municipal Building. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend meetings, which are held the second and forth Monday of each month. A work session will precede tonight's meeting.
Editor's Note: Pictured above (left, from top) is Bridgeport City Council convening July 10 and Greer, Lang, Recorder Hank Murray and Councilman John Wilson at the same meeting. Those photos are by Joey Signorelli of Ben Queen Photography. Also pictured above are some members of the Benedum Airport Authority at Wednesday's meeting at North Central WV Airport.
