Although there were no promises made, no official position taken at the conclusion of the meeting, Bridgeport City Council focused a substantial portion of Monday’s session to discuss recent concerns regarding the use of fields at The Bridge.

 

The concerns, which were voiced in a Council meeting and during a meeting of The Bridge Advisory Committee last month, were again brought by officials representing or working with Bridgeport Little League. The concerns were voiced by a trio of individuals during the public comment portion of the meeting.

 

It was part of a nearly hour-long session Monday.

 

Prior to the regular meeting was a 30-minute executive session. Interim City Manager Mark Rogers said last week the discussion would focus on the Little League issue. However, the discussion was behind closed doors as the matter was talked about in executive session.

 

Mayor Andy Lang said the executive session was done due to advanced construction planning. Lang met briefly before going into executive session with Little League officials on hand to let them know the reason for going into the executive session. Although no formal talk took place once going into the regular meeting, it is almost a certainty the executive session focused on future plans for property development at The Bridge and perhaps other areas in the city.

 

Aaron Horne, the vice president of Bridgeport Little League, was the first to speak to Council. Horne, who was on hand earlier at The Bridge advisory meeting last month, assured those gathered he was not there “to poke the bear.”

 

However, he mentioned concerns about whether The Bridge and its properties were a “community center” or a “sports complex.” Ironically, the issue has been discussed more than once by officials at The Bridge, including during a 2023 presentation by Droo Callahan, general manager of The Bridge, during his annual report to Council. Callahan cited finding a happy median between those two concepts as a challenge.

 

Radine Gum followed Horne. Gum read comments prepared by her husband Jeremy, a Bridgeport Little League Board member and coach unable to attend due to coaching duties. She also had the presence of her 2-year-old son Onyx with her to help her get started. She, too, said there needed to be a better balance, but talked about issues at the youth level could do harm to the community involvement – Bridgeport community involvement – into the complex.

 

The final person to speak was Robert “Bobby” Marra. Although not officially involved with the league, Marra has been involved with the baseball portion of The Bridge since its inception. Marra, president of WV Patriot Baseball, works with The Bridge and Little League on coordinating tournaments that bring in millions to the community annually.

 

Marra was concerned that the initial move by Little League to The Bridge, at the request of city officials he said, is losing some of the original touch.

 

“You look around and see so many things getting done with volunteers. We don’t want to lose that … but there is a sense (this facility) is not looking out for ourselves,” Marra said.

 

After the comments were complete, Lang thanked those who gathered for bringing their concerns. Council members then thanked those individuals for doing the same as part of their meeting-concluding Council comments.

 

“As frustrating as this is, this is also an opportunity to work together to address this,” said Council member Clayton Rice.

 

In official business, Council approved the “charitable donation” of two parcels of land at 426 Water Street. The parcels, totaling .30 of an acre, include one residence. City officials have said the home has been problematic and in need of demolition. The property owners agreed to donate the parcels that include the home and would lead to the city taking fiscal responsibility for the demolition.

 

What would happen to the property if the structure were removed has not been determined. Community Development Director Andrea Kerr did say an environmental assessment will likely be done this week to determine if there is asbestos in the structure. After that, she added it will soon be put out to bid for demolition.

 

Also, Monday evening, Council agreed to turn back grant money the city has been awarded to the State of West Virginia. Bridgeport Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth said last week two grants – both Transportation Enhancement Grants that are federal dollars administered by the West Virginia Department of Transportation – total roughly $500,000. The first of those grants, said Rogers, came in 2018.

 

For those wondering about the lag in time, it should be noted it is fairly standard for the grants to take multiple years to come to fruition. Bridgeport has utilized these grants, which have had several name changes, for decades. The most recent one, which created the trail along Virginia Avenue to the start of the Deegan and Hinkle Lake area, was awarded in 2016.

 

The reason for turning the money back to the state?

 

Shuttleworth said last week there is not just one reason. However, he pointed to the biggest being the rise in cost from the original grant for design and the secondary grant for construction.

 

“You have essentially $500,000 and while you always anticipate price increases, what has happened from 2018 to likely later this year or 2025, prices have gone through the roof,” said Shuttleworth. “The money we have would likely not make it to where we have it finished in the preliminary design.”  Rogers echoed that Monday.

 

The good news? The trail, which would start in the area around Bridgeport Presbyterian Church and go to the Charles Pointe area, is not being taken off the development map. Rather, Shuttleworth said they will be collaborating with Genesis Partners (the developers of Charles Pointe) on future grants and revisiting the layout of the trail.

 

More good news? As noted, Bridgeport has a long history of success with the grant program.

 

In other business, Council acted on the second reading of an ordinance amending the city’s façade improvement program. The ordinance will allow for additional funds when the entity originally applying for the grant opts to expand the scope, or even the quality, of planned exterior improvements.

 

Council also signed off on a General Fund Budget Revision, which would be the seventh during the current fiscal year. Rogers said it is the moving of money around, including fund balance dollars, as well as dollars received through the auctioning of city property through govdeals.com. The revision will also provide funds for a payroll study.

 

Before the official business began, Lang made a proclamation to Hope Inc. The proclamation will declare April 2024 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Bridgeport. Another item that took place during the public comment section was concerns by Fred Muscar of Willis Avenue. Muscar is asking for action on a tree near his property that is split and is asking for Council to act on the matter sooner rather than later.

 

The meeting started with an invocation by Pastor Jeff Vaughan of Grace Baptist Church.

 

Editor's Note: Top three photos, in order of those talking on Bridgeport Little League, are Aaron Horne; Radine Gum and her son Onyx, and Robert "Bobby" Marra. Fourth photo is of Council member Clayton Rice, while the fifth photo is of Mayor Andy Lang. Bottom photo shows Lang making a presentation to Hope, Inc.