An hour-long work session which preceded Monday night’s Bridgeport City Council meeting dealt with a proposed district tax increment financing “TIF” district encompassing North Central West Virginia Airport property and some adjoining acreage.

 

Some of that property is inside city limits, thus the reason City Council is being asked to consider a consent resolution indicating the city is amenable to a TIF district within municipal boundaries.

 

Tom Aman, counsel for the Harrison County Commission, explained the proposed project – which includes 1,954 acres.  

 

“This process started a couple years ago at the airport when they were planning on making a significant expansion,” Aman said. “They started looking originally at a pilot arrangement for that project and because of the nature of the facility and the way it did business, it was determined that a pilot didn’t make the most sense. It evolved and they started talking about a TIF and initially it was going to be a confined TIF – inside the fence line of the Airport Authority – mainly an airport centric type of TIF for aeronautical-type improvements.”

Boundaries have since been expanded with potential use to also include industrial and commercial improvements, Aman said.

 

Among other areas, the proposed TIF would encompass undeveloped property along Route 50, the Route 131/I-79 intersection and across from Route 279. The proposed TIF area also includes a number of privately-owned parcels.

 

Aman’s report was for informational purposes only and will be addressed once again after reviewed by City Attorney Dean Ramsey, who was out of town Monday. If the city does consent, the County Commission would arrange a public hearing, which would take place after proper notice and publication, and thereafter address any comments and concerns resulting from that hearing. The TIF would then be submitted to the development office for consideration and approval with 60 days to review, provide changes, approve or disapprove. If approved, the County Commission would then enter a final order creating the district, Aman said.

 

At the 7 p.m. session, City Manager Kim Haws reported on some city projects in the works, starting with the much-anticipated paving of Johnson Avenue.

 

“They’ll begin paving at the end of June and in the meantime, the city will continue to fix pot holes and try to keep them at bay until they can be permanently fixed,” he said.

 

The Main Street repaving project will be advertised May 15 with a slated completion at the end of August. Leading up to that project, city crews will be working to make sidewalks ADA-compliant, Haws said.

 

Haws also announced that final review begins this week of plans for the new indoor sports complex and that advertising for the initial phase of that project will take place the second week of May.

 

Also included in Haws’ report was some new construction action taking place in the city.

 

“Mountain State Brewing Company has begun construction for a facility at Charles Pointe and the project should be completed by this summer,” he said. “The size of the building is approximately 9,000 square feet so that’s another nice addition.”

 

There’s much construction taking place in the city – about $20 million worth since the beginning of the year, Haws said.

 

Council unanimously approved a budget revision for $7,500 – taken from the city’s miscellaneous fund - to be added to $5,000 budgeted for the 2017-18 fiscal year, appropriated to the FBI Citizens Academy. That $12,500 will be used to help fund the Drug-Free Clubs of America activity at Bridgeport High School.

 

The decision was made with the caveat that Council would work with the FBI Citizens Academy on potential ways to fund the project in the future.

 

Under the awards and presentations portion of the meeting, Mayor Andy Lang read and presented a proclamation to Hope, Inc. declaring April 2018 Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Accepting the proclamation were Jackie Ritter and Brittany Dunbar of Hope, Inc.

 

“We appreciate your willingness to help with our awareness activities,” Ritter told Council. “We hope to be able to keep this amazing wave of empowerment and support that started with the #MeToo movement and Times Up movement. We hope our work can continue to be a platform for victims – both men and women – to tell their stories and be believed, to speak their truths.”

 

Before adjourning into executive session, Council voted to move back the next City Council meeting date from Monday, May 28 to Tuesday, May 29, thereby avoiding Memorial Day weekend.

 

The meeting began with an invocation by Father Benny Kapa of All Saints Catholic Church. 

 

Look for more about the proposed TIF project to be reported on Connect-Bridgeport.