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.
No comments:
Post a Comment