June 21, 2009
Council, Media, Administrators Share Enlightening, We’re in This Together Bus Tour of City
By Tony Rutherford, with photography by Chris Spencer
Huntingtonnews.net Staff
Huntington, WV (HNN) – What looked like a bus full of VIP’s traveling through Huntington were not simply ordinary out-of-town tourists sampling sights in the city. Instead, the articulately guided tour had members of the Wolfe Administration and the Mayor himself showing council members and the media an eyewitness perception of areas where the “jewel” needs some polish.
“It was a great idea,” said councilman Russell Houck. “I don’t know who thought of it. I applaud them. It gives me a better insight , not only to what the problems are, but to the answers. It’s a different situation when you’re looking at how to fix the problems, than looking and saying we have problems.”
Mayor Kim Wolfe told HNN following the tour that he recently told his staff the city does not have any “problems,” it has “challenges” and conceptually the tour was to inform council members about issues which they themselves may not have firsthand knowledge because they are outside their districts.
Unexpectedly, the informal three or four hours together brought an unanticipated camaraderie and unification, reinvigorating a “we’re all in this together” type of thinking. Both Wolfe and council members indicated that despite disagreements on the priority of a few items, everyone has a commitment to move the city forward.
Wolfe told HNN that ‘tourists’ viewed housing challenges, such as locations where, for example, those to the left and right or on one side of the block are maintained, but one or more have been abandoned nearby.
In other areas, paving and repaving of streets have contributed in part to drainage issues, as asphalt layers have raised the water’s entry point into the storm water system. And, the south side has two major land slippages.
Public Works Director Wayne Pollard provided insight to rough Southside Roads. He explained that street car rails from the early 1900’s are buried down under and when the rails settle that causes bumps in the street.
One of the worst streets was 11th Avenue, according to Councilwoman Frances Jackson.
“Start at Eighth Street and just go west young man on Eleventh Avenue,” Ms. Jackson invited. “What they want done is for all the asphalt to be taken up down to the brick. I think it’s going to be well over a million dollars. We can’t do that. They want the brick for aesthetic reasons and people do not drive as fast. There’s no way you are going to drive fast down Eleventh Avenue [in the current condition].”
She called Eleventh Avenue and Enslow Boulevard the worst of the surveyed streets in need of paving.
“There are a lot of bad streets. They are in everybody’s district,” Jackson concluded.
Afterwards, she suggested paving priorities for main thoroughfares “which will help everybody in the city,” such as portions of Sixth Avenue from Sixth to 16th Streets.
On the river in Guyandotte, the Cajun Kitchen Showboat Marina sank in February. Mayor Wolfe told HNN that the extinct of the damage had been partially blocked due to the isolated location. Removal of the debris has become an issue since the owner took insurance money and ran, similar to the pattern found on land with burnt residences and absentee ownership. Since the debris do not block the river channel, the Corps of Engineers will not intervene.
“Up at the old boat docks, that thing sitting in the water, what are we going to do about it,” asked District Eight Councilman, Russell Houck. “It’s just going to catch trash going down the river and deteriorate. It’s not in my district. I had not considered that before.”
By contrast, a businessman has bought a floating restaurant from down river which he is now renovating for a business near Adams Landing, which would have riverside camping. The development will require a zoning variance from council. Eventually, this investment would offset what the loss of the sunken marina and restaurant.
On the positive side, Wolfe showed pride and anticipation for the coming months. He described a former apartment complex on Tenth Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue which had been closed by the fire department. Ironically, it covers the half block south of where the Radcliffe Place fire occurred. The doctors were not able to salvage their burnt out structure, but they purchase the building beyond. It’s in the process of renovation for possible second floor condominiums, with businesses such as Archer’s Flowers continuing on the ground floor.
Other strengths range from the revival in Fairfield from the building of Habitat for Humanity housing on Artisan Avenue and the forthcoming benefits of the Weed and Seed Program to the takeover of Harris Riverfront Park by the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation Commission. Wolfe pointed to a crowd of about 1,600 filling the amphitheatre and points beyond for the Huntington Symphony Orchestra last weekend and the upcoming youth sports tournaments.
“There’s negativity, but, Huntington is a beautiful city with a lot of nice places. Like all cities, Huntington has dilapidated houses that need to be taken care of as quickly as they can. [Still] there are many nice well kept, well maintained homes that look nice. I love Huntington, but we do have problems. Hopefully with the council and Mayor, we can get them taken care of.”
For instance, Western Regional Jail non-violent workers cut down the weeds and cleaned up an abandoned lot in the East End. The woman living next door had asked continually for help. When the work was completed, Jackson and the Mayor both pointed out, she was so pleased that “she was crying; it had been such a mess.”
That’s only one piece of property cleaned, but to the woman next door it’s her world. And, represents one small step toward the cleaning up the city goal.
COUNCIL MEMBERS THINK IT WAS GREAT
Councilman Houck expressed a favorable sentiment towards the bus tour, telling HNN that someone asked whether it could be repeated, as not all sections of town could be covered during the four hours.
For him, he particularly liked the informality and the opportunity for the administration, council and media to share relaxed conversations. The former HPD officer stated that in an abundance of caution, council members often choose not to talk about business in small groups for fear of the “perception” of running afoul of the sunshine laws, which mandate public business must not be conducted in private.
Houck’s experience on the tour framed a “big picture” of the city. “In my own instance, it removed some petty thoughts that I had. Something that I thought might be worthy of attention [in my district] after today [I thought] maybe that’s okay.” Applying a best interests of the city standard, he noted that each district has “water problems, money problems and street problems, but you don’t know the extinct they have them until you go out and see it.”
One future problem in Houck’s district could be the Enslow Middle School building after the facility is consolidated elsewhere with Beverly Hills. Often, abandoned schools have led to blight in the neighborhood.
A couple of days before, Councilwoman Jackson had reservation about the effectiveness of the planned bus tour. She planned to attend, but was a doubting Frances beforehand thinking the trip would be a “little posturing here and there.”
Afterwards, she told HNN, “It was time well spent. I’m glad I went. We all knew that there were needs all over Huntington, but , actually seeing things up close [sunk in].” Administration members also pointed to the City Garage. “It’s in real need of repair,” Jackson said. “I could see from the bus how bad it was. Hopefully, it can be addressed.”
REDUCED CRIME ON THE CORNER
During the tour Police Chief Skip Holbrook pointed out where and how dealers and their customers operate on Ninth Avenue and described other public safety hot spots, such as Fairfield East and West, where drug problems have dominated. Other “hot spots” include portions of the downtown (such as Sixth Avenue) and portions of the West End particularly surrounding W. 9th Street (which encompasses portions of Monroe and Jackson Avenues). Each of the areas have crime issues for different reasons; the types of issues common , for instance, in Fairfield are not the same as those on W. Ninth Street.
For those unaware of how drug deals go down, those on the bus learned that some individuals seemingly hanging out in a neighborhood have substance abuse objectives.
Although a former member of the Huntington Police Department, Houck explained, “When you drive by you do not know [what’s going on at a] house. People are hanging out at a dilapidated , vacant house [to] make a connection. I had no idea, I’d never been exposed to it. On a personal drive by, you think, they are just hanging out. “ Having been away from police work for 20 to 30 years, he described “a lot of changes,” adding that during his tenure Huntington still had many industries but no jobs for the youth who moved away.
From Houck’s perception, all council members on the bus felt positive about the insight gained during the approximately four hour tour.
“We did not have enough time to visit all parts of the city .. but It was a very informative and positive experience for everyone. I was impressed with the Public Works Director when he described the problem(s) … and it’s not an overnight solution. “
He agreed with a statement made by chairman James Insco to a television reporter that “although we may disagree on a few items, we’re still working together to move this city forward.” Houck said, “I’m not aware of any dissention among council members. [The tour] helped us loosen up and make ordinary comments to each other.”
Houck hinted that similar events, perhaps including interested citizens on the bus, could assist in developing additional fresh input for solving the city’s challenges.
As for the administration, Wolfe often gave credit for improvements to others on his staff
"Our emphasis has always been a cleaner, safer, more responsive government," Mayor Wolfe said. "And, this is part of it."
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By Tony Rutherford, with photography by Chris Spencer
Huntingtonnews.net Staff
Huntington, WV (HNN) – What looked like a bus full of VIP’s traveling through Huntington were not simply ordinary out-of-town tourists sampling sights in the city. Instead, the articulately guided tour had members of the Wolfe Administration and the Mayor himself showing council members and the media an eyewitness perception of areas where the “jewel” needs some polish.
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Mayor Kim Wolfe told HNN following the tour that he recently told his staff the city does not have any “problems,” it has “challenges” and conceptually the tour was to inform council members about issues which they themselves may not have firsthand knowledge because they are outside their districts.
Unexpectedly, the informal three or four hours together brought an unanticipated camaraderie and unification, reinvigorating a “we’re all in this together” type of thinking. Both Wolfe and council members indicated that despite disagreements on the priority of a few items, everyone has a commitment to move the city forward.
Wolfe told HNN that ‘tourists’ viewed housing challenges, such as locations where, for example, those to the left and right or on one side of the block are maintained, but one or more have been abandoned nearby.
In other areas, paving and repaving of streets have contributed in part to drainage issues, as asphalt layers have raised the water’s entry point into the storm water system. And, the south side has two major land slippages.
Public Works Director Wayne Pollard provided insight to rough Southside Roads. He explained that street car rails from the early 1900’s are buried down under and when the rails settle that causes bumps in the street.
One of the worst streets was 11th Avenue, according to Councilwoman Frances Jackson.
“Start at Eighth Street and just go west young man on Eleventh Avenue,” Ms. Jackson invited. “What they want done is for all the asphalt to be taken up down to the brick. I think it’s going to be well over a million dollars. We can’t do that. They want the brick for aesthetic reasons and people do not drive as fast. There’s no way you are going to drive fast down Eleventh Avenue [in the current condition].”
She called Eleventh Avenue and Enslow Boulevard the worst of the surveyed streets in need of paving.
“There are a lot of bad streets. They are in everybody’s district,” Jackson concluded.
Afterwards, she suggested paving priorities for main thoroughfares “which will help everybody in the city,” such as portions of Sixth Avenue from Sixth to 16th Streets.
On the river in Guyandotte, the Cajun Kitchen Showboat Marina sank in February. Mayor Wolfe told HNN that the extinct of the damage had been partially blocked due to the isolated location. Removal of the debris has become an issue since the owner took insurance money and ran, similar to the pattern found on land with burnt residences and absentee ownership. Since the debris do not block the river channel, the Corps of Engineers will not intervene.
“Up at the old boat docks, that thing sitting in the water, what are we going to do about it,” asked District Eight Councilman, Russell Houck. “It’s just going to catch trash going down the river and deteriorate. It’s not in my district. I had not considered that before.”
By contrast, a businessman has bought a floating restaurant from down river which he is now renovating for a business near Adams Landing, which would have riverside camping. The development will require a zoning variance from council. Eventually, this investment would offset what the loss of the sunken marina and restaurant.
On the positive side, Wolfe showed pride and anticipation for the coming months. He described a former apartment complex on Tenth Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue which had been closed by the fire department. Ironically, it covers the half block south of where the Radcliffe Place fire occurred. The doctors were not able to salvage their burnt out structure, but they purchase the building beyond. It’s in the process of renovation for possible second floor condominiums, with businesses such as Archer’s Flowers continuing on the ground floor.
Other strengths range from the revival in Fairfield from the building of Habitat for Humanity housing on Artisan Avenue and the forthcoming benefits of the Weed and Seed Program to the takeover of Harris Riverfront Park by the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation Commission. Wolfe pointed to a crowd of about 1,600 filling the amphitheatre and points beyond for the Huntington Symphony Orchestra last weekend and the upcoming youth sports tournaments.
“There’s negativity, but, Huntington is a beautiful city with a lot of nice places. Like all cities, Huntington has dilapidated houses that need to be taken care of as quickly as they can. [Still] there are many nice well kept, well maintained homes that look nice. I love Huntington, but we do have problems. Hopefully with the council and Mayor, we can get them taken care of.”
For instance, Western Regional Jail non-violent workers cut down the weeds and cleaned up an abandoned lot in the East End. The woman living next door had asked continually for help. When the work was completed, Jackson and the Mayor both pointed out, she was so pleased that “she was crying; it had been such a mess.”
That’s only one piece of property cleaned, but to the woman next door it’s her world. And, represents one small step toward the cleaning up the city goal.
COUNCIL MEMBERS THINK IT WAS GREAT
Councilman Houck expressed a favorable sentiment towards the bus tour, telling HNN that someone asked whether it could be repeated, as not all sections of town could be covered during the four hours.
For him, he particularly liked the informality and the opportunity for the administration, council and media to share relaxed conversations. The former HPD officer stated that in an abundance of caution, council members often choose not to talk about business in small groups for fear of the “perception” of running afoul of the sunshine laws, which mandate public business must not be conducted in private.
Houck’s experience on the tour framed a “big picture” of the city. “In my own instance, it removed some petty thoughts that I had. Something that I thought might be worthy of attention [in my district] after today [I thought] maybe that’s okay.” Applying a best interests of the city standard, he noted that each district has “water problems, money problems and street problems, but you don’t know the extinct they have them until you go out and see it.”
One future problem in Houck’s district could be the Enslow Middle School building after the facility is consolidated elsewhere with Beverly Hills. Often, abandoned schools have led to blight in the neighborhood.
A couple of days before, Councilwoman Jackson had reservation about the effectiveness of the planned bus tour. She planned to attend, but was a doubting Frances beforehand thinking the trip would be a “little posturing here and there.”
Afterwards, she told HNN, “It was time well spent. I’m glad I went. We all knew that there were needs all over Huntington, but , actually seeing things up close [sunk in].” Administration members also pointed to the City Garage. “It’s in real need of repair,” Jackson said. “I could see from the bus how bad it was. Hopefully, it can be addressed.”
REDUCED CRIME ON THE CORNER
During the tour Police Chief Skip Holbrook pointed out where and how dealers and their customers operate on Ninth Avenue and described other public safety hot spots, such as Fairfield East and West, where drug problems have dominated. Other “hot spots” include portions of the downtown (such as Sixth Avenue) and portions of the West End particularly surrounding W. 9th Street (which encompasses portions of Monroe and Jackson Avenues). Each of the areas have crime issues for different reasons; the types of issues common , for instance, in Fairfield are not the same as those on W. Ninth Street.
For those unaware of how drug deals go down, those on the bus learned that some individuals seemingly hanging out in a neighborhood have substance abuse objectives.
Although a former member of the Huntington Police Department, Houck explained, “When you drive by you do not know [what’s going on at a] house. People are hanging out at a dilapidated , vacant house [to] make a connection. I had no idea, I’d never been exposed to it. On a personal drive by, you think, they are just hanging out. “ Having been away from police work for 20 to 30 years, he described “a lot of changes,” adding that during his tenure Huntington still had many industries but no jobs for the youth who moved away.
From Houck’s perception, all council members on the bus felt positive about the insight gained during the approximately four hour tour.
“We did not have enough time to visit all parts of the city .. but It was a very informative and positive experience for everyone. I was impressed with the Public Works Director when he described the problem(s) … and it’s not an overnight solution. “
He agreed with a statement made by chairman James Insco to a television reporter that “although we may disagree on a few items, we’re still working together to move this city forward.” Houck said, “I’m not aware of any dissention among council members. [The tour] helped us loosen up and make ordinary comments to each other.”
Houck hinted that similar events, perhaps including interested citizens on the bus, could assist in developing additional fresh input for solving the city’s challenges.
As for the administration, Wolfe often gave credit for improvements to others on his staff
"Our emphasis has always been a cleaner, safer, more responsive government," Mayor Wolfe said. "And, this is part of it."
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
