HUNTINGTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – “Mayor Steve Williams presented his proposed Fiscal Year 2024 budget to Huntington City Council this evening. Below are some highlights and key initiatives in the budget, which City Council will review in the coming weeks:
PUBLIC WORKS
— $2.6 million for paving. This initiates steps toward the goal of establishing a 10-year paving cycle.
— $750,000 for street repairs.
— $100,000 for sidewalk replacement program.
— $175,000 for the purchase of a new dump truck to replace an aging vehicle at the end of its service life.
— Continuing renovations at the former National Guard Armory building on Virginia Avenue on the West End. Building will consolidate all divisions of Public Works (with exception of administrative offices, which will remain at City Hall) under one roof.
— Funding to train mechanics in Motor Pool Division to perform maintenance on specialized vehicles (such as fire engines and garbage packer trucks) that currently have to be sent to manufacturer if there are maintenance issues. This will save costs and result in quicker turnaround times in returning vehicles to service.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
— Largest budget in the history of HPD – $15,586,938.
— Funding for the purchase of 5 new cruisers, which is a continuation of the fleet maintenance program in HPD (this will bring the total number of cruisers that have been purchased with general fund dollars t0 43 since FY 2014).
— Highest-paid starting salaries in West Virginia.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
— Largest budget in the history of HFD – $14,437,136.
— $125,000 for the purchase of a new command vehicle. This vehicle is utilized by the on-duty shift commander. This continues HFD’s fleet maintenance program (FY 2024 will be the sixth consecutive budget year that a fire apparatus (fire engine) or support vehicles have been purchased.
— $150,000 for segregating sleeping and restroom areas of fire stations for the purpose of being more inclusive to any and all individuals who become a firefighter.
— Continuing of construction of the new Mayor Joseph L. Williams Jr. Fire Station at 20th Street and 9th Avenue (projected completion of June 2023) and beginning of construction of the new Westmoreland Fire Station (start date of late July 2023)
CONTRIBUTIONS
— $63,000 contribution to the Cabell County Library.
— $50,000 to Unlimited Future, Inc. (small business incubator).
— $200,000 contribution to the Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Control Shelter.
— $300,000 to the Huntington Municipal Development Authority for economic development initiatives.
— $250,000 to the Facing Hunger Foodbank to address food insecurity. This will be the third $250,000 contribution to the Foodbank. Mayor Williams is committed to contributing a total of $1 million to the Foodbank before the end of his term on Dec. 31, 2024.
— $500,000 to the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center. This will be the second $500,000 contribution to the Keith-Albee for renovations. Mayor Williams has committed a total of $1.5 million to the Keith-Albee.
HOUSING/NEIGHBORHOOD/BEAUTIFICATION/CULTURAL PROGRAMS
— $1.25 million budgeted for demolition program. This will be enough funding to demolish at least 100 unsafe/dilapidated structures.
— $100,000 for Project SHINE housing rehabilitation program.
— $50,000 to conduct planning studies for the neighborhoods of Guyandotte and Gallaher Village.
— $100,000 to continue operations of the Fairfield Community Development Corporation.
— $20,000 to support the Highlawn Alliance.
— $20,000 to support RenewAll, Inc. in the West End.
— $30,000 to support hiring four AmeriCorps VISTA workers for the West End, Highlawn and Fairfield.
— $20,000 to continue Huntington Heroes (veterans) and Black History Month downtown banner programs.
— $30,000 for continued improvements for Foundry Theater at the Jean Carlo Stephenson Auditorium at City Hall to further enhance offerings of community events.
HAL GREER BOULEVARD CORRIDOR
— $800,000 that would be used as part of a local match for phase 3 of the Hal Greer Boulevard Corridor Project. Phase 3 includes Washington Boulevard to Kinetic Park. Phases 1 and 2, which include from Washington Boulevard to 3rd Avenue, will begin soon.”