Sandra Clements Visit

JMC 414 students on Thursday learned about Huntington City Council and budget from council person Sandra Clements of district 5, one of 9 districts in Huntington. Her district is the south side of Huntington, including the area surrounding Cabell Huntington Hospital. As a lifelong Huntington resident and second-term council member, Clements said her biggest project is currently the destruction of government housing. All 129 units are being vacated and residents are being moved to other areas throughout the city (not as a whole). After the land is rezoned, Clements would like to see a grocery store and pharmacy occupy the space. Clements said the number one priority for the city should be jobs. Huntington as a city is underemployed. Once more people have jobs, Clements said, crime will go down and the city will have money to tend to other community issues.

Policy for nonprofits

For Brittanee Barton's blog to cover a nonprofit story, it is necessary to know the tax exempt status of the organization because many events involve the donation of money. In addition, audits and 990 forms will be examined. The Better Business Bureau and IRS will be checked for complaints about the organization. The agency or entity submitting the press release should include contact information for major players, such as the executive director of the organization, as well as a brief background of the organization. This is much enhanced by the inclusion of a brochure explaining the organization's mission statement and outcomes. Brittanee Barton's blog will use this information to ensure coverage of a reputable cause, not just an event.

United Way Visit

For the first time this year, the United Way of River Cities raised less than $1 million in their fundraising campaign. The chapter raised just over $900,000, a steep decline from the $1.5 million goal just ten years ago.

Will Holland, Director of Resource Development, attributed this trend to inefficient communication. While speculatively, United Way would seem popular because it is one agency that contributes to many relevant organizations, donors cannot see the direct impact. This may discourage their decision to donate through United Way. He also said in the past, United Way relied on work place engagement to raise funds. With work place engagement disappearing, it is necessary to find a new way to connect with the millennial generation.

Marketing coordinator Kaylin Adkins said she hopes the marketing budget will help with this connection. This is the first year marketing has been designated their own budget, which Adkins said will help fund concrete message distribution, such as tee shirts and physical brochures. All marketing materials boast the mantra “Live United.” She said she is also relying on the growth of social media in younger generations. In addition, United Way employees give many community presentations advocating for the mission and they rely heavily on storytelling for personal connections.

Mirroring the shifts in marketing, United Way has also shifted its general way of approaching its bettering the community mission. Executive Director Laura Gilliam said the focus has moved from quick bandaid fixes to dealing with larger, overall issues. She said this change became evident in 2002, with research proving that providing money to addiction treatment facilities, for example, does not solve the problem of substance abuse. In other words, too much time was being spent on safety net, while there was a huge need to turn to prevention.

To begin this redirection, United Way identified “local critical issues.” These include the betterment of education, income and health. Fundraising and grants provide the money distributed to organizations dedicated to improving these three prongs. Organizations must be located in the five county community United Way River Cities supports. These counties are Wayne, Cabell, Lincoln and Mason in W. Va., as well as Lawrence County, Ohio.

In order for an organization to receive funding, a letter of intent must be submitted. Any 501(c)3 can submit a letter of intent that shows how they are working on one of the local critical issues the United Way has designated. A community investment council then reviews and scores the letter based on how well it is written, how it addresses the critical issue, the outcomes identified and the mission statement, among other considerations. Once approved through the first stage, the organization is asked to complete a more involved online application. This includes a statement of need, budget, target demographic and more detailed plans on how the funding will achieve a certain outcome. Another set of volunteers from the community grade the online proposals and make final funding recommendations. Gilliam said the decision making committee stresses outcomes, not output. This means they are looking for how organizations will impact the behavior, skill or knowledge of a population. They want to know about the results of the work, not the work itself.

The yearly application process starts in January and ends June. Funding takes effect in July. Non-safety net organizations apply for funding every two years, while basic needs entities, like City Mission are required to reapply each year. The organizations must submit a 990 tax return and an audit conducted by a certified public accountant. The organizations must also send quarterly reports on outcomes achieved because it has become too time consuming for volunteers to have on-site visits. The United Way has the authority to suspend funding if organizations are not making appropriate progress. These organizations are allowed to reapply next funding cycle.

Proposal for the Marshall University Foundation

To: Prof. Burnis Morris

From: Brittanee Barton

March 24, 2014

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RE: Story Outline: Marshall University Foundation Inc.

Subject: I want to investigate the money raised by Marshall University Foundation. MUFi’s 990 claims the organization brought in almost $27 million through donations, grants and gifts in 2012, but only brought in $17 million and $7 million in the two years prior. I want to investigate how the university is generating so much more money and how it is being used.

Need: It is the university’s job to bring in money and fund infrastructure, scholarships and facility improvements. The quadrupling in funds from 2010 to 2012, however, is staggering. People with any stake in the university need to know how this money is being raised and from where (i.e. Applying for more grants, recruiting a greater number of donors, etc.).

Scope:  In the past couple years, several buildings have been approved and constructed. I am sure those required an increase in funds. I want to look into what combination of grants, gifts, donations etc. allowed for these initiatives.

Methods: I have located the 990 and annual financial reports online, so I can use those for pure numerical figures. My next step is to do archival research on any articles or statements published regarding the construction of recent buildings. I then will need to do interviews at MUFi.

Sources: I need to look at local papers and media outlets (WSAZ, WOWK, Herald-Dispatch), as well as any releases from the university. Then, I would like to talk to the CEO, CFO and any special chairs of fundraising.

Presentation: My report will be submitted via email by April 29. It will also be posted on my blog. The article could possibly be featured in the Parthenon.

Follow-up: With classmates writing stories on other beats in the area, it could run as part of a series.

Huntington Budget Meeting - March 8, 2014

Huntington City Council members and Mayor Steve Williams on Saturday assessed budget concerns of the public works sector. The meeting opened with questions from the first two sessions of budget hearings. Council member Scott Caserta requested residential fees be raised in order to cover the needed revenue for police, paving and the fire department. As such, city service fees (CSF) and municipal service fees (MSF) would need to increase. The goal is to generate approximately 1.5 million dollars for these entities. Currently, each house in Huntington pays a base rate of $120 CSF and 7.35 cents per square foot MSF. To raise $1.5 million solely from CSF, the base rate would need to increase to $214 per year. To raise the money solely from MSF, it would need to increase to 10.3 cents per square foot. There is also the option of increasing both fixed and variable rates, but by a smaller percentage. The fees were last raised nine years ago.

District 4 Representative Gary Bunn suggested public interest meetings with council members in respective districts to interact with citizens about the possible change. The council also considered a large public interest meeting for the whole city, but it would have to be moved to a bigger hall or building. This raised concerns for how closely council meetings needed to be chained to City Hall Chambers. Williams said the city's best bet for support on this issue is to rely on citizens wanting service problems resolved. "My intent is not to go out to the public and say do you want to raise fees because we're going to have everyone saying no," Williams said. "From a police standpoint, a fire department standpoint, public works, what are some of the things you want done? If there are people who want their street paved or stop the flooding, they'll come out and say I need this fixed." If agreed upon, Williams said meetings with specific districts would occur in late March and early April in order to take action in May.

The annual state of the Municipal Parking Board presented by director Mike Wilson served as new business. He said he is commonly asked why the parking board made so much money in the past, yet no money now. He said the answer is a rise in insurance cost, unexpected medical costs for retirees and the sale of lots. The lot across from Wendy's on Third Avenue, for example, was sold, losing the board $30,000 per year. Events, such as 5k races, are becoming more frequent, cutting out some of the revenue for parking, as streets are not open at the 8:00a.m. parking meter start time, though they are open by 10:00. Wilson said the parking board is operating at break-even status right now, so action is needed in the near future. A handout of ways revenue could be increased was provided, including ideas such as raising meter fees, raising citation prices or a grant from the city budget. Williams, however, suggested first trying another route. "We're agreeing that all the revenue from parking citations, fines should go directly to the parking board," Williams said. "Right now, the city takes a percentage of it, but because of their bond requirements, they need it." He said he believes this will be a good answer, at least for the short-term. It is anticipated that the art incubator Marshall purchased downtown will also bring in new parking revenue. In addition, parking board employees will be getting a 3 percent raise after staying consistent since 2007.

Finally, the council debated independent contributions related to economic development. Funding of the Cabell-Wayne Animal Shelter was widely discussed. Williams said an accountant is reviewing the shelter's status, but as of now, the city will be contributing $100,000 to operation costs. The amount may increase after the accountant finishes up next week. The only revenue for the shelter comes from adoptions, grants and donations. Councilman Gillespie asked why smaller towns in the Cabell-Wayne area do not contribute money to the shelter that also serves them. Williams said Huntington uses the shelter the most, but did not know why other towns did not contribute. The city will also be contributing to the ambulance service so citizens of West Moreland are afforded ambulances. Williams said though West Moreland is in Wayne County, ambulance opportunities should be present. Harris Riverfront Park just received a grant for a Tony Hawk skate park. The city renewed its contribution to the Huntington Park and Recreation District to assist with the skate park, an eventual spray park and the upkeep of Huntington's numerous parks. Lastly, though no specific amounts of money were stated, city council members agreed they wanted to find money to enhance Huntington In Bloom beautification efforts and enhance Christmas decorations in the city.

The next city council meeting will be Monday and the next budget hearing March 20.

Chapter 8 Assignment

The meeting I am examining is the Huntington City Council meeting on February 24, 2014. Following the meeting, the newspapers most closely examined a land transfer and a conference which Mayor Steve Williams will be attending.

The first lead seems pretty straightforward, reading "The Huntington City Council approved transferring 19.4 acres of property along the riverfront in the city's West End to the Huntington Municipal Development Authority by a 10-1 vote during a meeting Monday night." The article, however, then investigates why Pete Gillespie, representative from that district, voted against the transfer. He said there was a barge permit already in place for that piece of land. He also asked its worth to no avail. Williams claimed the land should have gone to HMDA all along and stated that there is a company that is interested in buying the land for economic development.

This item sat pretty low on the agenda (12 of 18), but seemed to involve controversy, which might be why the reporter chose to cover it. Nearly 20 acres is a good sized piece of land, which may have also factored into the equation. If I were the reporter, I would pursue the barge lead, as the permit was established last year. Why has no action been taken and now Gillespie is concerned? The HDMA director also answered negatively to Gillespie's question of if proceeds from the sale could be used to better his district. Where will those proceeds go? I would also look into what specific company was interested in the land.

The story regarding the Community Progress Leadership Institute is written a bit more feature-y and as more of a feel-good piece. The reporter was quick to point out the illustrious company Huntington joins at the Harvard based conference, but he did not go into how or why Huntington was selected. What criteria were used to select cities and did we have to apply? Also, what effect does this have on weak city finances? Are we paying to fly multiple people out there and stay four nights?

Six items on the agenda were centered around the sanitation board, including issues such as software maintenance for the GIS system, updating the contract and support agreement and a partnership with Potesta engineers to redesign wastewater technology. If items from one department dominate an agenda, I feel some sort of media coverage is necessary. Waste water and sanitation do affect the majority of the population. The rest of the meeting was filled with ordinances of Williams entering to contract talks with supply companies or economic development firms. I feel like these are not quite as newsworthy because they are not as relevant to the population as a whole.

City of Huntington Meeting

I will be attending a City of Huntington budget meeting tomorrow. It will cover the budget regarding public works including sanitation and trash fund. This is the third meeting in a series of annual budget meetings held in City Hall.

Centerpiece 990

The Centerpiece 990 journal article began with the most important question regarding non-profits: Why should the media (or the individual for that matter) care? The answer is money, impact, influence and social contract.

Some charities deal with major money. Big Brother Big Sister Tri-State had a revenue of nearly $269,000 this year. That is just in this region, let alone nationally. Non-profits are keepers are big bucks. Secondly, the impact can be just as big or minutely small. All that money could be used for specific cancer research experiments or for the executive director's home and car. In simple terms, how much of the money raised is actually going to the exact cause advertised? Thirdly, the executives in these organizations often have much influence in the business community. How might they be manipulating influence and prominence in their favor? Finally, social contract is important for the reputation of the organization. Citizens believe that when they donate to a charity, the charity will use their money for good. Violating trust and using money otherwise would be a huge breach of social contract.

Obviously, the article focused on 990s. It should be noted that 990s are not required for churches or organizations bringing in less than $25,000. The article contends that key rows of the 990s include contributions & grants, program service revenue, total revenue, grants paid, salary, total expenses, revenue less expenses, total assets, total liabilities and net assets. From the comparison of these columns in current and past 990s, stories can be built. These stories will fall into one of two categories: good works or scandals.

Stories of scandal involve ideas that just do not add up like they should. For example, the article talked about a charity dispersing supplies across the country and overseas, yet there were no transit expenses. Does the way a non-profit spends its money make sense? It is also necessary to cross-check charities for links to others. One reporter found conflicting information. "The transferred ownership of supplies was only on paper - multiple charities took credit for donating the same goods to the same destination." Is this a problem? Executives would say it does not matter how the good is being done as long as results are seen.

Finally, authors warn journalists to beware of lag time. 990s are filed each fiscal year. These annual forms may not be available right away. At this point, for example, Big Brothers Big Sisters only have the 990 for 2012, although it is 2014. The document for 2013 has not been finished/posted as of yet.

Report of WV Prisoners

1) Five last names with most arrests-

Smith- 632

Johnson- 395

Davis- 375

Adkins- 357

Miller- 335

2) Average age of inmates - cannot calculate

3) Gender

F- 10,093, 21.6%

M- 36,672, 78.4%

     Race

Asian- 57- .1%

Black- 5,035- 10.8%

Hispanic- 768- 1.6%

NAA- 26-  .05%

ORI- 2- .004%

OTH- 132- .3%

WHITE- 40,513- 86.6%

BLANK- 234- .5% 

4) 2010 U.S. Census Statistics: 

M- 49.2

F- 50.8

The gender difference in WV prison does not correlate with the U.S. census of 2010. The number of men in WV prisons is significantly higher than that of the U.S census because there are actually more females than males in the U.S. 

White- 74.8 

Black- 13.6

Hispanic- 16.3

The prison population does correlate with the statistics of the 2010 U.S. Census.  The most prevalent race in WV prisons is white, which also had the most population in the U.S. There are, however, a greater percentage of white people arrested than the percentage residing in the country.

2010 WV Census- Pop: 1,852,993

M- 49.3% 

F- 50.7%

The statistics did not correlate in this case.  There are far more males than females in WV State Prisons, but there is a majority of females in WV.

White- 1,739,988- 93.9%

Black- 63,124 – 3.4%

Asian- 12,406 - .67%

Other- 6,119 - .33%

Hispanic- 22,268 – 1.2%

These figures based on race/ethnicity do correlate with the figures of people in WV State Prisons.  The white population has the majority in both cases. The black population is second in both cases, however; the black population in WV Prisons is a higher rate than that of the black population throughout the state of WV.  Hispanics have about the same percent in all.  “Other” has exactly the same percent in each, showing a possible direct correlation.

5) Huntington-2054

WVSP BCL region- 1970

Charleston- 1797

So Kanawha-1289

Martinsburg-1109

6) From this data, I can conclude that in WV, if you are a white male, you are more likely to go to prison than any other race and gender. There is also a greater chance you will be arrested as a black male because the arrested percentage is higher than the population percentage.

7) By looking at the data, it appears that the majority of those arrested by Huntington Police Department were white males, followed by white females. The majority of these individuals were under the age of 40, with most of them being in their 20s. Because of this, it is safe to conclude that young, white males are the majority being arrested in Huntington. This is also the age that most people attend a university.

Based on the arrests made in Morgantown, the numbers seem to reflect the same thing: white males were the majority followed by white females. The majority were under the age of 40 with most being in their 20s. 

If those incarcerated reflects those at universities, you can conclude that the majority of Marshall University students and West Virginia University students are white males, with the second being white females.

Based on the data, Huntington has a lot more arrests than Morgantown, so you could possibly conclude that more Marshall students are arrested than WVU students. There could also be a greater overall population of Huntington than Morgantown, accounting for more arrests.

Do's and Don'ts of JMC 414

BUSINESS LETTER ETIQUETTE
* Envelopes: Your name, name and title of person you're writing, name of the organization
* Salutations: Don't use a comma - use a semicolon in business situations. Dear Prof. Morris:
* Dates: every letter must have a date
* Your address: If you're using letterhead, don't write your address on the letter or envelope
* Ending: Thank you, yours truly, very truly yours

WRITING ARTICLES
* Preachers: If they're ordained, the Rev... If they also have doctorates, the Rev. Dr....
* Don't use over when you mean more than
* Do not hyphenate African American
* Avoid weak verb forms - say plans instead of intends to lead or research instead of look up
* Don't split infinitives
* Identify speaker of direct quotations after the first pause
* Don't use mention
* Don't say happy or excited in their various forms
* Avoid spoke or speak in all forms
* Avoid leads in second paragraphs, as well as non-sequiturs
* Don't be a secretary at meetings. i.e. At the beginning of the speech, at the end of the speech
* Avoid Southeastern Conference (SEC)
* Put time element next to the verb
* Keep lead paragraphs short and do not ask questions
* Inappropriate lead verbs include facilitate, spoke, address, discuss, covered, stood, met, held, stressed
* Avoid backing into the story
* Aim to be completely balanced - interview multiple people
* Do not call adults by their first name
* Don't use direct quotations of unimportant statements
* Avoid referencing budget stories without providing budgetary amounts
* Do not misspell words
* Avoid clichés
* Capitalize President only with specific last names
* Avoid there was/there were
* Avoid some people or some sources
* Don't say "average" American
* Write out the number if it is the first word of the sentence
* Said is better than according to
* Avoid "in regard to"
* If less than 7 days, use Monday, Tuesday, etc. NO today. Date is necessary if it is outside 7 day window
* Don't babble
* No saying feels/thinks...It must say Obama SAID he feels/thinks
* If you ask a question, answer it immediately
* Don't digress
* STRONG verbs

Faculty Senate Executive Committee

The Executive Committee approved and amended recommendations today, as well as discussed future proposals. The monthly meeting began by approving last month's faculty senate minutes. Members then began to assess recommendations. The recommendations, if approved, would continue on to receive approval from faculty senate, followed by President Kopp and then the Board of Governors.

The executive committee approved SR-13-14-56, SR-12-14-61 and SR-13-14-62 without much opposition. The first recommendation approved added a clause to syllabi that addressed the protocol for a late instructor assignment. The second approved an accelerated BS/MD program that would be open to 10 in-state incoming seniors per year to complete an undergraduate degree in Biology and doctorate through the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in seven years. The last recommendation was an intent to plan a Bachelor of Arts in the Arts degree, which allows students to study more than just one discipline in the Fine Arts.

SR-13-14-63 was amended then approved. The General Education Council proposed wording changes in the international course designation.
Original submitted changes: (3) evaluate how specific approaches to global issues will affect multiple cultural communities, and (4) untangle competing economic, religious, social, political, institutional, or geographical interests of cultural groups in conflict.
Mary Beth Reynolds, director of academic assessment, said she felt the proposed changes restricted certain programs too much, especially several majors in the College of Liberal Arts. She said she believed there would be more data to prove if this change was justified in the summer when more artifacts of course studies would be submitted and categorized based on which parts of the description they fit. Reynolds said she wanted to leave in the term "cultural." The committee passed the recommendation with the amendment of leaving every word currently in the description and adding "political, institutional."

The intent to plan a sport management major (SR-13-14-64) was approved, though it is being researched if sport or sports should be used. SR-13-14-65 proposed that a possible multidisciplinary degree should be referred to the Council of chairs for further development. Numerous committee members said they believed it had been so long since this initiative started that they needed to see the original information, including the intent to plan, before approving it. The recommendation was tabled until March.

SR-13-14-66 to continue certain degrees at their current levels and SR-13-14-68 to offer four librarians Ex-Officio Non-Voting Membership for faculty senate were both approved. On the other hand, SR-13-14-67, recommending a joint Board of Governors and faculty senate meeting each year, was not approved due to the fact that it was already present in the W.Va. State Code.

The agenda was set and approved for the Senate meeting on Feb. 27 before handing out a packet for the March meeting. The packet included policy changes and procedure regarding salary, promotion and tenure. Faculty members were encouraged by Chair Eldon Larsen to share this information with their respective colleges prior to its appearance at March's meeting and possible implementation fall semester. College of Business professor Rex McClure said he was concerned about the citizenship clause in the tenure section because he believes it is vague and could result in misunderstanding and disgruntled professors. President Kopp said there is precedent from previous academic court cases that would shelter this statute.

Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Corley Dennison said this is a change from the previous terminology of "collegiately." He said no one was sure of the definition of collegiately, so it was changed to "university citizenship." Dennison thinks the proposal will stand. "I think once there's full explanation of the citizenship clause, I think it will probably pass," Dennison said. Larsen agreed with Dennison's prediction of outcome, but clarified further. "The concerns are not universal," Larsen said. "I did not hear anybody else express their concerns. All the proposals for salary, promotion and tenure will go as a package. If Senate wants to amend part of it, they can do that before they vote on the whole package."

While the final package will not be voted on until the March meeting, the next General Faculty Senate meeting will be February 27, 2014.

Mayor Williams addresses Huntington in State of the City Address

Mediocrity or excellence? That seemed to be the resounding theme of Huntington Mayor Steve Williams' State of the City address. Citizens and members of the media joined Williams and city council on Friday for the mayor's annual speech.

The speech focused on the budget and agenda for Huntington projects over the next year. Williams stressed dealing with recurring issues now. "Due to the neglect and timidity of many who sat in these seats before us, we are left with the task of addressing issues that have been ignored for too long," Williams said. "Our biggest challenge will be to determine how we should respond to that which can no longer be ignored."

Potholes, an eternal hot button issue for Huntington, was mentioned within the first five minutes. The paving program funded by City Council allowed for more than seven miles of roads to paved in the spring and summer of 2013. "The city is now in the business of building avenues, streets and boulevards, as opposed to patching potholes," Williams said.

Huntington Fire and Police Departments are currently staffed at record levels. The fire department stands with 105 sworn firefighters, the most in more than 10 years. The police department staffs 111 sworn officers, the highest staffing level in 30 years.

On campus, the lighting along Fifth and Third Avenues is being improved. This commitment to safety should be among top concerns for Marshall students, at-large council member David Ball said. "My only thing is a lot of people said it would help with aesthetics, but sometimes of those aesthetics right around Fifth Avenue aren't exactly what we want to show off," Ball said. "Let's get the area picked up. Let's be sure fraternity and sorority row is clean so we can show off one of the most beautiful campuses around."

Fifth district council representative Sandra Clements also said that Marshall students should be concerned with activities and responsibilities of the city. "Dilapidated buildings and rough sidewalks - that impacts you," Clements said. "What happens if you move off-campus into an apartment and the landlord is not taking care of the apartment? That impacts you."

In an effort to bring more business to Huntington, Williams said he felt it was necessary to hire a business advocate, whose duty is to streamline the process of business applications and permits. He hopes the simplifying of the process, along with a redesigned website, will make opening businesses more consumer friendly.

Looking to future plans, the Fairfield West and Northcott Court redevelopment projects are in full swing. The mayor said the Northcott Court housing complex on Hal Greer Boulevard between Doulton and Charleston Avenues will be demolished by fall and rezoned to commercial, setting the stage for a major private investment. The Huntington Housing Authority is in charge of seeking a developer, though residents have requested a grocery store. In response to the demolition, two new 40-unit senior housing complexes and 50 single-family and duplex housing units will be constructed in Fairfield.

Williams did acknowledge that money is tight, especially after tending to the dangerous barge in 2013. "With all the pronouncements of limited government and reduced spending from Charleston and Washington, the rubber meets the road in Huntington," Williams said. This is evident after a hiring freeze through the beginning of the next fiscal year was announced last week.

Williams has decided, however, to not ignore what he said he believes is a major concern. "Our employees, our single greatest resource, have not had a raise since 2008," Williams said. "The budget is tight, but we cannot afford to not provide our employees a pay raise. Therefore, I am recommending a 3 percent across the board pay raise for all bargaining unit employees and administrative personnel."

The state of West Virginia has been in the spotlight due to the water crisis in Charleston. Williams said in his extensive study of the crisis, it has become clear to him that communication is the key. For this reason, he is recommending the Stormwater and Floodwall divisions be transferred to the Sanitary Board without a startup fee. "We will place under one administrative authority all city offices that have anything to do with water quality, regulation or service," Williams said. "An immediate efficiency of operation will result when a sewer collapse occurs."

Clements said she really liked the speech because the mayor is always upbeat and positive. Ball, however, said he thought Williams left out some important accomplishments. "For instance on December 23, we updated our non-discrimination ordinance," Ball said. "We added sexual orientation and veteran status and we changed 'handicapped' to 'disability' throughout the entire ordinance." This phrasing was proposed under two other mayors and failed both times. "We've got a council, a mayor and now a city that allowed us to pass this 11-0," Ball said.

Williams and council members regularly meet on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7:30p.m. in City Council Chambers.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee

I will be attending the Faculty Senate Executive Committee on Monday, February 17, 2014. The committee is expected to first approve the minutes from January's meeting. They then plan to hear recommendations, such as the approval of early registration policies, approval of "intent to plan" for several BA programs and the revision of the constitution for the library committee. I am interested in the Intent to Plan for the Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management Degree Program because I have taken many of those courses, as I am earning a minor in sport management and marketing. Next, the committee will set the agenda for the Faculty Senate meeting on February 27, 2014. The committee will then hear reports from 20/20 Committees, which are groups assembled to help strategically plan an overall vision for the university, as well as develop each individual degree program. There will also be reports from standing committees, such as research, legislative affairs and university functions. The meeting is expected to conclude following any requests to speak and requests for future agendas. I will post a recap of the meeting on Monday night.

Freedom of Information Law in the state of West Virginia

The Freedom of Information Act is in the West Virginia Code, Chapter 29B. This law exists in order to help journalists and any other citizen gain access to public records. The desire to inspect or copy any record must be made specifically to the custodian of the record. The law states the custodian "shall furnish proper and reasonable opportunities for inspection and examination of the records in his or her office and reasonable facilities for making memoranda or abstracts therefrom, during the usual business hours." This is important because it says that there cannot be unreasonable obstacles in place that prevents access to the public, like making just a half hour window of availability.

The person requesting the documents must provide a purpose for asking for the records. A response to the person requesting the records should be given as soon as possible, but within a maximum of five days, not including Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays. The response must be one of the following:
"(a) Furnish copies of the requested information;
(b) Advise the person making the request of the time and place at which he or she may inspect and copy the materials; or
(c) Deny the request stating in writing the reasons for such denial."

If the custodian gives written reasoning of denial, his/her responsibility is over. The person requesting the public records can then appeal the denial by going to court. It is also noted that the public body or custodian may establish reasonable fees calculated to reimburse it for its actual cost in making reproducing the records.

Recap of Amazon's Annual Report to the SEC

As I read Amazon end of the year filings to the SEC, a few items jumped out at me. Since 2009, Amazon's assets, free cash flow and net sales have increased every year. In a time of economic hardship for many, Amazon is strong and successful. Net sales were the greatest in the fourth quarter of 2013. The third quarter was the second most successful, followed by the first and second. This seems to be a company selling trend, as it was also true in 2012. In the liquidity and capital resource section, it reads "We believe that cash flows generated from operations and our cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities balances will be sufficient to meet our anticipated operating cash needs for at least the next 12 months. However, any projections of future cash needs and cash flows are subject to substantial uncertainty." This means Amazon feels comfortable with where its at now and for its short term future. Prediction beyond a year is unreliable.

The report contains a very detailed audit from the Ernst & Young firm. They write, "In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Amazon.com, Inc. at December 31, 2013 and 2012, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2013, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles." This is verifying that they believe Amazon has handled its finances and accounting practice in accordance with U.S. standards. The document also briefly explains all major legal proceedings involving Amazon. Three complaints were from December 2013, all referencing patent infringements in the states of Missouri, Delaware and Texas. Amazon ends each statement with "We dispute the allegations of wrongdoing and intend to defend ourselves vigorously in this matter."

Highlights of the year claim the growth of the Kindle and Kindle Fire accounting for much of Amazon's recent success, as well as expanded shipping options. Packages can now be delivered to the door on Sundays. Amazon Studios released a new original series. Amazon launched AmazonSmile, a new program that allows customers to support their favorite charitable organizations every time they shop.

A New Kind of First

When Huntington, W.Va. is associated with the word “first,” the results are not particularly encouraging. In recent memory, the Centers for Disease Control ranked Huntington first in the percentage of obese people residing in a city. According to a Gallup poll, Huntington was also first in an examination of the most depressed cities.

Mayor Steve Williams is trying to change the “first” correlation. His goal is to make Huntington a first-class city. As he said to my journalism class today in an open forum, “I want to do everything first class or not do it at all.”

In Williams’ State of the City address Friday, I expect him to revolve his talking points around this assertion. He said he wants Huntington to compete with Louisville, Cincinnati and even Dallas. While we only boast a population of 50,000, he said it comes down to accomplishing goals on a scale appropriate to us. “Create the expectation first and then find a way,” is the mantra Williams used.

As he prepares a budget to be released at the State of the City, one item he shared spoke louder than most. We were the first to learn that on Thursday morning, he enacted a hiring freeze and a non-essential spending freeze to “build the rainy day fund.” This will remain in effect through the fiscal year. Williams believes this will allow a cushion of more than $300,000.

In conjunction with this, Williams said he will not hire any new employees this year, though he hired 11 in 2013. Five of these positions were new jobs Williams said were necessary to the city. He hired an assistant city attorney who is largely responsible for placing leans on properties owned by citizens who owe $500 or more to the city. In the last year, more than 2000 leans were placed on these residencies. 

Williams created the position of communications specialist to help him and the city better connect with the public. He said communication is key in maintaining a positive environment where people want to be. He also created a position with the goal of aiding citizens in the process of beginning a business. The licensing and permitting process is extensive and Williams said prior to his term, few resources existed to help budding entrepreneurs. 

Williams comes from a business background and emphasizes the importance of new businesses, especially as it relates to the reputation of a first-class city. Williams said the city’s website is being revamped to include items attractive to businesses, such as online bill pay. He also said there needs to be an exciting tax environment and a focus on services provided by Huntington, such as police patrol. Finally, he said the storm water division needs to continue to work on ways in which to cope with the flooding of the city so it is not a deterrent for businesses. These measures hope to draw businesses into Huntington, rather than just outside the city limits, stealing clientele from Huntington.

Williams said he will most definitely address last year’s hiring at the State of the City. He has heard doubts surrounding the necessity of the jobs he created and the salaries those positions require. He plans to strongly stand by his decision. He contends all individuals hired have a unique and needed purpose in the city and positive results are evident.

I fully expect Williams to discuss the River to Rail program in the west end of Huntington. He said three areas in the west end, specifically in the neighborhood of Fairfield, stood out to him in terms of crime and dilapidated housing. He wants to fight this crime with not only police presence, but also by founding somewhat of an arts district, honing in on the antique business in that part of town, as well as farmer’s markets. Huntington was not successful in receiving a federal grant for this project last year, but the proposal is being resubmitted this year. Williams is very optimistic it will be granted, as Huntington is the only city in W.Va. applying. 

Similar shifts in atmosphere have a history of improving neighborhoods in other parts of the country. I know from experience that the Short North and Scioto Mile districts in Columbus, Ohio have greatly benefitted from revitalization projects. The west end could become safer and more traveled thanks to this program.

Finally, Williams said Marshall’s campus will make its way into the State of the City speech, as it is the largest employer in Huntington. While he was not clear of the exact role Marshall will play in the speech, he referred to his relationship with President Kopp as very strong. He said the Coffee with the Mayor initiative with students brought his attention to the lighting of Fifth and Third Avenues near campus, which is currently being upgraded. Williams said safety is always a concern, on and off campus. He was proud to report that Huntington Police now staffs 111 officers, which is the most in 29 years. He also mentioned that downtown Huntington is the safest downtown area within 100 miles.

As I stressed throughout my predictions, I believe Williams will structure his speech around his first-class city goal. He wanted our class to know he was through with mediocrity and thinks the rest of city residents are too. While he said we are moving in the right direction, the pace needs to quicken. Progress will speed up when people invest and buy into the mission of the community. That is where Williams needs to pinpoint his message. The population needs to support change just as much the mayor and city government.

Marshall Faculty Senate - January

Marshall University’s Faculty Senate announced a new budget cut and vision statement, as well as expanded upon the 20/20 project at Thursday’s meeting. President Kopp and provost Gayle Ormiston headlined the meeting, along with a number of representatives speaking on behalf of university committees.

The most noteworthy release came courtesy of Kopp. At the beginning of the 2014 calendar year, Marshall received notice of an unanticipated mid-year budget cut of 1.1 percent. This results in cuts of approximately $539,000. Kopp said the first step will be to absorb vacancies in the university. At the prompting of a faculty member’s question, Kopp stated it will probably not affect ongoing searches. “Mid-year cuts are the worst and most difficult kind of cuts because we have already made commitments,” Kopp said.

As is a theme with many institutions of higher education, Kopp addressed the issue of retention. Students who returned for spring semester after attending fall semester is higher than in years past. The university has seen an increase of about 4 percent for returners. Matt James, student resource specialist and UNI 100 developer, said he believes several programs helped students assimilate. “In 2010, we enacted a retention plan including WOW week, first year seminar and a focus on student activities, like living learning communities,” James said. We have fine tuned these strategies and we are seeing results now.” In addition, the INTO program for international students enrolled 220 new students this semester.

The extreme polar vortex that impacted much of the midwest this January also reeked havoc on Marshall’s campus. Nearly $300,000 of damages resulted in Gullickson Hall, Drinko Library, Jenkins Hall and the Science Building. Frozen sprinklers and burst water lines accounted for the majority of problems. Kopp said the physical plant director said nearly nothing could have been done to prepare for the extreme temperatures. He urged all faculty to make sure their windows stay shut, especially when they leave for the day.

At the end of fall semester and throughout winter break, the vision committee sponsored a poll for Marshall students and faculty to vote on a new vision statement for the university. Almost 900 votes were cast for one of four options. The winning statement reads, “The vision of Marshall University is to inspire learning and creativity that ignites the mind, nurtures the spirit and fulfills the promise of a better future.” Dr. Susan Gilpin, faculty senate member from the communication disorders department, said she was satisfied with the selection. “The vision statement matches my idea to why I’m at Marshall and what we’re doing here, so I’m pleased with it,” Gilpin said. “This vision statement covered a range of goals for students. It wasn’t just about getting a job or providing excellent education. It was more about developing the whole person.”

In conjunction with the vision statement, Ormiston led an in depth discussion about the 20/20 program. He has been meeting and will continue to meet with department chairs and deans weekly. The next deadline for the academic portfolio review degree program niche statements is March 31 to the college or school dean. Matt Turner, the chief of staff for the president, is leading the communications effort for the 20/20 project. He is in the process of instituting unique tabs on the website for each outreach team. He wants the website (www.marshall.edu/2020) to be the center point for communication with each other, as well as an opportunity to share relevant news stories.

In other miscellaneous news, Maurice Cooley, director of the Center for African American Students, took a new position as associate vice president of intercultural affairs. This is a change in the previous name of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Kopp reported the new lighting project on Fifth and Third Avenues should be completed within a month. New light poles and higher wattage bulbs are in the process of being installed, but the winter weather has hindered progress. There is an evaluation of the president and the board of governors this week, January 27-31.

Finally, the senate observed a moment of silence for former Marshall University athlete, professor and coach Sam Clegg, as well as James Buck Harless, philanthropist and advocate for Marshall University and its student athletes. Both men passed away in early January at the ages of 93 and 94 respectively.

The faculty senate executive committee will meet February 17 at noon in Drinko Library 349.

Questions for Huntington Mayor Steve Williams

Huntington Mayor Steve Williams will be visiting our class on Thursday. Beginning his second year in this role, we have questions we would like to ask him before his Feb. 14 State of the City address.

1. Have you been successful or are you in the process of collecting the almost four million dollars in unpaid business and occupation taxes that you mentioned last year?
2. When you took office last January and then again in February’s state of the city, you said you would not be raising taxes. Is that still the case? Doesn’t the city need revenue? Why do you believe not raising taxes is a good choice for the Huntington people?
3. On July 1, the Huntington Junk Ordinance (also know as couch clean-up law) went into effect. What kind of reactions have you received? Are you looking at making any changes to it?
4. You said you are interested in starting an Arts Council. What is the status of this project?
5. As college students hailing from a variety of hometowns, many of us live in campus apartments during the school year. There had been discussion after last year’s state of the city to require landlords to register each unit they owned for a $50 fee to cover ordinance checks. It received positive and negative feedback, but I was unable to find a final plan. Is this still in the works or has something been cemented?
6. You asked Jim Insco to help streamline the business licensing and permitting process. Why was this an area of focus?  Have you seen positive results? How so?
7. Last year, you said you would be able to hire two new firefighters and four new police officers. How has the creation of these positions helped our city?
8. The formation of a storm water division is big news for the city as a whole, as well as specifically college students who walk to class frequently. What sort of projects is this committee working on to improve life in Huntington?

Investigative Journalism Chapter 1

1. The investigative piece I chose is a product of WBNS 10tv in Columbus, Ohio.

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2013/11/25/reading-test-results-3rd-graders.html

This story is one of several in an investigation of the Ohio third grade reading test. The test debuted in the 2012-2013 school year and is causing quite the controversy, as students who made A grades in school were failing the test. It is interesting to me because I interned at this station over the summer and we ran several pieces then. There will be more follow-ups to come. I also found it interesting because my mom and dad are both educators and I have heard about standardized tests forever. My dad's school district is actually mentioned in the story. It holds a public interest because student's who do not pass the test in either October or March will not be allowed to move on to fourth grade.

2. The investigative story I am proposing studies the lack of a baseball field on Marshall University's campus. I have read in newspaper articles and heard from baseball players themselves that Marshall has been promising an on-campus field on all their recruiting pitches. Players have came and left without even seeing a plan for a stadium. The argument has been lack of land space in town, but Marshall just knocked down Veterans' Memorial Field House so the Hoops Memorial Soccer Complex could be built. I understand the original soccer field was destroyed due to the indoor sports complex, but what caused a soccer stadium to be built a mile from campus while baseball normally plays in Charleston, over 45 miles away?

Minimum Wage at Maximum Importance

College isn't cheap. There's no way around it. While we clamor shamelessly for field experience and unpaid internships to boost our resumes, we still need money. Unfortunately, those funds often come as a result of summer lifeguarding, making funnel cakes at an amusement park or folding clothes in a retail store.

How much money are those jobs worth? Most of us would say more than you think. As such, good news may be on the horizon. At the State of the Union Address on Tuesday, I fully expect President Obama to speak on the subject of raising minimum wage. This could mean a lot for college students.

Some states raised minimum wage on January 1, 2014. According to the Ohio Department of Commerce, my home state raised minimum wage 10 cents to $7.95. Federal minimum wage, however is stagnant, currently sitting at $7.25. Though no graphics have been updated for 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor published the 2013 data for each state.


Obama is in favor of a dramatic increase. He recently said he supports legislation in Congress that would lift the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in three steps over two years and then index it to inflation.

Even with Obama's backing, minimum wage increases have a long road ahead for full passage through Congress. Although it has been said higher minimum wages have mild support from both political parties, Democrats are driving the effort, as they are interested in remedying income inequality.

Republicans, on the other hand, have some concerns. Top Republicans assert that a wage increase would dampen the economic recovery. Some Republicans also say that after Obama mentioned the issue in his 2013 State of the Union speech, they had no intention of bringing a minimum wage increase to a vote in the House, which they control.

Numerous members of the legislature, most notably Speaker John A. Boehner, have also brought to attention that this would be discouraging to small businesses, which would be a consequence contradicting recent endorsement of small town entrepreneurs. Why would we make it harder for small employers, especially family owned and operated businesses, to prosper?

In a November CBS News poll, 64 percent of independents and 57 percent of Republicans said they supported increasing the minimum wage. 70 percent of self-described “moderates” said they supported an increase. This issue seems pretty important for a majority of Americans and even Obama himself. "Let's declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour," Obama said to Congress in 2013. "Let's tie the minimum wage to the cost of living, so that it finally becomes a wage you can live on."

Now speaking about minimum wage in Tuesday's State of the Union is a start, but no guarantee. According to the Constitution, a State of the Union address requires the president to "from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient” (Article II, Section 3, Clause 1). This means Obama will recommend topics that he feels are the most deserving of his time and effort in the upcoming year, but makes no promises. In our system of checks and balances, law passage is a complicated journey. Keep in mind that minimum wage was also on the agenda in last year's State of the Union, but it never materialized.

The conversation of a topic relevant to so many Americans also shows promise in persuading citizens to use their voice. Speaking about and acting upon minimum wage could serve as a tool with which to enlarge the voting population. Voter turnout lags especially in a nonpresidential election year, like 2014. FairVote.org claims about 60 percent of the voting eligible population in America votes during presidential election years and about 40 percent votes during midterm elections. Though many people have dogs in the race when it comes to minimum wage, youth and minorities are commonly affected. Voter participation may be multiplied in these categories.

So, will your barista job suddenly pay more after the State of the Union Address? Probably not, but it is something to consider. Listen to Obama speak on his initial plans for the year and turn out at the polls if it reaches that stage. Federal mandates to help the college student may be coming sooner than you think.