Monday night, Bridgeport City Council approved a nearly $14.5 million budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year; 52.6 percent of that total budget encompassing wages and benefits. The approval came with no time to spare for month’s end submission to the state.

 

A $30,000 coal severance tax fund budget was also approved, as was a budget revision for the current fiscal year in the amount of $504,550; offsetting $450,000 in hotel/motel tax revenue to a 50/50 expenditure split to the Greater Bridgeport Convention and Visitors bureau and capital reserve transfer for park development. A Homeland Security Grant in the amount of $54,550 will be utilized to purchase 10 in-car cameras for city police cruisers. Finance Director Monica Musgrave pointed out that the police department currently has five cameras and the cost for five additional cameras have been built into the above-mentioned 2015-2016 fiscal year budget.

 

Mayor Robert Greer commended Coordinator of Emergency Services Laura Pysz for locating the grant and for carrying through with the procedure.

 

Passed on second reading was an ordinance authorizing the city to enter into an intergovernmental agreement subject to approval by resolution of the governing body and without requiring submission and approval by the Attorney General of the State of West Virginia. That ordinance has to do with Home Rule proceedings, as does an ordinance providing for the procurement of architect-engineer services. The second reading of that ordinance was postponeddue to comments of concern made by former mayor Joe Timms during the public comment portion of the meeting.

 

Timms shared that he has served on the National Council of Engineers and Surveyors and that he is a current active member of the Council of Licensure Enforcement and Regulation.

 

“But I’m not speaking for any of those groups,” said Timms Monday evening. “Tonight, I’m speaking as a private citizen who is concerned about what steps the city may be taking. As a professional engineer, I’m interested in protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public.”

 

Timms’ concern and the points he made against the ordinance  is based on West Virginia Legislature Chapter 5G declaring it to be the policy of the state, and its political subdivisions, to procure architectural or engineering services or both on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualification for the type of professional services required. Timms said he fears that the new ordinance would affect the quality of services secured.

 

After City Engineer Tom Brown provided comments – his in favor of the ordinance - Council voted to put the matter on the back burner.

 

“I think we should postpone the reading and gather information from cities that have had the ordinance in play for the past five years to get some analysis or information from them to see if it has been positive,” said Councilor Dustin Vincent.

 

The final ordinance discussed before Council was one rezoning 10.71 acres of land along Lodgeville Road. Designated as Tax Map 289, parcel 34A, the property was rezoned from B-2 Business to R-3 Multi-Family Residential. 

 

Though not official, the proposed purpose of the acreage is for the establishment of an apartment complex, which can house as many as 96 families. At a previous meeting, Community Development Director Randy Spellman said available housing is one area of development which is vitally needed in the city.

 

A proclamation was presented to Bridgeport resident Jake Preaskorn for his state championship swimming accomplishments. A senior at Notre Dame High School, Preaskorn claimed two individual state titles – the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard breaststroke - and was part of the state champion 400-yard relay team at the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission State Swimming Championships at West Virginia University.Preaskorn has signed with WVU, where he will swim next year.

 

Also recognized was Barb Judy, who is concluding her 20-year coaching stent of Bridgeport High School’s academic teams, including Quiz Bowl and TEAMS, among others. Those competitive groups have garnered 40 state and two national titles.  Judy has been involved in BHS education since 1973 and is leaving a lasting impression on countless students, Mayor Greer said.

 

Judy – who retired from teaching nine years ago, but continued the academic coaching - shared why it all began two decades ago.

 

“I started it because I really felt we needed something to challenge the children intellectually as we challenge them on the athletic field,” she said.

 

BHS Principal Mark DeFazio thanked Council for honoring Judy, who he said has done an outstanding job.

 

“She has put us on the map,” he said. “When you talk about different academic teams, they always do extremely well, because of her, even against larger AAA schools. Honestly, right now I don’t know what we’re going to do. We’re going to have a difficult time finding someone to replace her. We’re looking at a job which pays $800 and she coached four teams.”

 

As was slated for Monday night's meeting, CityNet reported on the city’s Gigabit service, the super speed internet pilot project.

 

“We started this project probably six or seven months ago and our expectation was to try to get everyone hooked up and services started in January,” said President/CEO Jim Martin. “We did have some delay as the winter was pretty rough, making it a little challenging to hang fiber. But we launched the network and lines were installed and the fiber is up on Ridgeway, Valley and Vista.”

 

The goal was to identify 100 to 110 homes that could be served in that designated network area. To date, 33 households have signed up for the service; 22 of those up and running with an additional eight to be on board very soon. For $75 per month, customers receive unlimited Internet access with speeds of about 100 megabits of download speed. CityNet is adding unlimited local and long distance as part of the offering. Martin said CityNet will be in a position to report to Council on the pilot project, likely in late-summer. Council will thereafter determine if it's an endeavor they want to offer citywide. 

 

Mayor Greer also brought Council up to speed on the Drug Awareness Task Force. He said that a representative from Cincinnati  - who oversees the type of drug-free club which the task force is interested in implementing at BHS – is scheduled to speak at the first Council meeting in May. She will thereafter speak to the Harrison County Board of Education and mayors of neighboring cities, Greer said.

 

In the absence of City Manager Kim Haws, who had taken some vacation time, Assistant City Manager Jimmy Smith gave a presentation on a number of city improvement projects recently completed or currently in progress. Those projects include enhancements to the Benedum Civic Center, a retaining wall at Bridgeport Pool, the City Park lighting project and the addition of a temporary boat ramp at Hinkle Lake, among others. Look for a full report, as well as additional details on other above-mentioned items of business, soon on Connect-Bridgeport. 

 

Editor's Note: Pictured from top are members of Council; Joe Timms, Mayor Greer and Jake Preaskorn, Mayor Greer, Barb Judy and Mark DeFazio; and Jim Martin of CityNet.