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At-a-glance: Council actions Dec. 9 — appointments, open-meetings code, right-of-way amendment, opioid funds and bonds
Summary
Council approved a package of items on Dec. 9 including codifying open-meeting rules, adopting a right-of-way deed amendment (amended from 9 to 8 parcels) to move to second reading, appointing Jeff Chapman, reappointing Ellie Layman, authorizing $75,000 in opioid-settlement funds to First Steps Wellness and approving a bond-refinancing resolution.
Huntington City Council voted on several ordinances and resolutions during the Dec. 9 meeting in actions that ranged from administrative updates to capital-finance steps.
Key outcomes:
- Ordinance 2024-O-42 (second reading) was adopted to codify West Virginia open-meeting requirements into local code so boards and commissions have a single reference. City attorney Scott Damron described the codification as consolidating existing law for local entities.
- A clerical amendment was made to a first-reading ordinance authorizing acceptance of rights-of-way deeds from the West Virginia Division of Highways: council struck "9" and replaced it with "8" (staff said eight parcels will be reconveyed due to roadway realignment related to the Houghborough project) and moved the amended ordinance to second reading.
- Personnel and appointments: council confirmed the appointment of Jeff Chapman to the Huntington Municipal Development Authority and reappointed Ellie Layman to the Huntington Human Relations Commission (both resolutions passed by voice vote).
- Opioid-settlement funds: council authorized $75,000 in funding from the West Virginia opioid-settlement distribution to the Cabell County Coalition for the Homeless, restricted for use by First Steps Wellness and Recovery Center. Chief Recker described First Steps' services (recovery coaches, naloxone training, HIV testing, meetings, a computer lab and job-search assistance) and said the allocation meets state memorandum-of-understanding criteria.
- Bonds: council adopted a supplemental resolution approving parameters to refinance combined sewer and stormwater system refunding bonds (series 2024A redesignated as series 2025A tax-exempt refunding bonds); staff called it the final council step to move forward with bonding and combining utilities for refinance purposes.
Each adopted item included the committee report noted during the meeting; votes were recorded either by roll call (where required) or by voice vote.
