HUNTINGTON — As vaccines for coronavirus make their way to cities throughout the United States, officials with the city of Huntington are looking for ways to ensure that the city will end up better off than when COVID-19 started.
One of the ways officials are hoping to achieve this goal is by implementing a COVID-19 Digital Media Action Plan.
Huntington Mayor Steve Williams said a company called Stream Scape Media will play a key role.
During a Huntington City Council meeting Monday, council approved a transfer of $250,000 from its contingency fund to economic development in order to pay for a contract with Stream Scape Media to implement this new plan.
Chris Miller, one of the principal partners in Stream Scape as well as co-owner of the Dutch Miller auto dealership chain, said the basis behind the company is to find ways to entice people to want to move to Huntington.
Especially in a COVID-19 world where many people are looking to move out of larger cities hit hard by the coronavirus, Miller said the company uses a propriety approach to find those individuals and distribute targeted information as to why a move to Huntington would be ideal.
“We have an entire generation that is going to be able to work from home and make a good living,” Miller said. “They are looking right now, and they are looking at places where they can relocate their family to accommodate what their new definition of a new healthy life is, and we know that Huntington can play a huge part in that.”
Since the start of the pandemic, Williams said he has been working to not only make the city a better place for its residents but also more attractive to outsiders.
This has included eliminating the refuse fee for several months for residents, reducing the business and occupancy tax for retail shops and business and eliminating the business and occupation taxes for contractors or subcontractors of single-family homes in Huntington, or the renovation of existing houses.
“The COVID pandemic has given us a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and also provides us with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Williams said.
In other business, council members approved an increase to the budget for the finance department of $42,811 for the newly created position of revenue compliance officer.
Also approved was in increase to the mayor’s office budget by $51,847 for the newly created position of constituent services.
Funds to cover the addition of these two positions as well as the contract with Stream Scape Media will come from the city’s contingency line item, bringing it down to roughly $5.89 million.
Council also heard the first reading of the ordinance to establish a Huntington Building Commission.
Williams said Huntington is one of the only major cities in the state without a building commission, which is used when cities or counties are looking to acquire properties or to help finance improvements on existing properties.
The Huntington Building Commission would consist of three commissioners who will meet on an as-needed basis. They will be appointed by the mayor and approved by the city council.
Initially, the commissioners will be appointed to staggered one-, three- and five-year terms. At the conclusion of the term of each initial commissioner, successors will be appointed to five-year terms.
The commissioners will not receive any compensation as part of their appointment.
In other business, council approved a resolution authorizing the city to apply for a 2020-21 Land and Water Conversation Fund grant in order to fund the 14th Street West Gazebo Park Improvement Project.
The project is estimated to cost $240,000, with the grant providing $120,000 and a matching $120,000 to be provided by Renewall Inc., a nonprofit corporation.
The 14th Street West Gazebo Park Improvement Project includes bringing the gazebo into ADA compliance, new pavers, landscaping, additional walkways connecting the parking lot to the market and improvements to the crosswalk and lighting.
Council also approved resolutions to purchase equipment for the Huntington Fire and Police departments.
This includes 73 sets of turnout gear for the fire department for $125,845.43 Red Hot Fire Equipment in Prichard and the purchase of various COVID-19 equipment also for the fire department for $279,700.60 from Johnson’s Fire Equipment Company of Wellston, Ohio.
For the police department, council approved a $30,252.50 purchase from Markl Supply Company Inc. in Pittsburgh for several firearm accessories.
Council members Tonia Kay Page, Carol Polan and Joyce Clark were absent from the meeting.
"plan" - Google News
December 15, 2020 at 09:45AM
https://ift.tt/34eGIyJ
Plan to entice population growth in Huntington moving forward - Huntington Herald Dispatch
"plan" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2un5VYV
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Plan to entice population growth in Huntington moving forward - Huntington Herald Dispatch"
Post a Comment