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City council tables bonuses, building and alley

There was a lot of talk, but not much action, at the Oct. 28 meeting of the Huntington Common Council.

The council tabled action on year-end bonuses for all city employees, funding to get the ball rolling on the construction of a $1.4 million city services building and the vacation of an alley just south of Convenience Corner.

Council members did, however, approve a recommendation by the Huntington Plan Commission to rezone three parcels of land south of Convenience Corner from residential to business.

The convenience store and gas station, located at the corner of First and Tipton streets, is owned by Francis Shaw. He plans to demolish the houses at 973 E. Tipton St. and 1222 First St. to make way for a parking lot. He requested the rezoning of those properties, which was approved, to allow for that project.

Shaw also wants to vacate an alley that runs behind and perpendicular to his property, along with a portion of the alley that is accessed from First Street. If the alley is vacated, it would allow the new parking lot to flow uninterrupted.

The alley runs behind three residential properties facing Tipton Street, and Shaw told the council the owners of those three properties had no problem with the vacation of the al-ley. The alley also runs behind one residential property at the corner of First and Division streets, and the poential interference with those residents' ability to access their garage prompted the council to table the request.

Susan Draper, speaking for her parents, Margaret and Corwin Draper, told council mem-bers that her parents - who live in the house at First and Division - would find it diffi-cult, if not impossible, to back out of their garage onto Division Street if the alley is va-cated. Currently, they can drive the length of the alley and exit onto First Street.

Council members discussed several options that would both allow Shaw the use of the alley for his parking lot and allow the Drapers convenient access to their garage.

"I wouldn't want to close it if somebody needs that alley," Councilman Greg Davis said.

In the end, council members voted to table the request and asked Shaw to return with a proposal that would address the Drapers' need for the alley.

Requests for additional appropriations for employee bonuses and for design work on a new city services building were packaged into one ordinance, and council members asked Mayor Brooks Fetters to bring the proposals back in two different ordinances so they could be voted on separately, and by the entire council. Councilman Charles Chapman was not in attendance for the Oct. 28 meeting.

Council had been asked to approve a $750 bonus for each city employee who was hired prior to Oct. 1. That includes at least two employees who have been on the job for only a few months, a fact that didn't sit well with several council members.

Davis suggested giving bonuses to all employees except department heads, who he said already are paid a higher salary and get such perks as a take-home vehicle and gasoline to drive the vehicle to and from home.

Clerk-Treasurer Christi Scher explained that the bonuses were proposed in appreciation of the city employees' willingness to "do more with less" and to make amends for the lack of raises in 2012 and 2013. City workers did receive a 2.5 percent raise for 2014, she said.

Councilman Jack Slusser, however, noted that the greater efficiency is due in part to the purchase of new equipment that requires less manpower and to a surge in volunteerism on city projects.

The total amount needed to pay $750 bonuses to all of the city's 125 employees would be $93,750. Scher said the bonuses would be paid from the city's general fund, which has a surplus of almost $1 million.

The $125,000 additional appropriation from the motor vehicle highway fund, which was included in the same ordinance, would pay for the design of a new city services building. The current building, which houses the park department and the street and sanitation de-partment, is located in a former lumberyard building on Webster Street.

The new building would be constructed adjacent to the current building, which would then be torn down and the space it occupied used for parking. The city garage and the sign department, currently located at the water tower on Briant Street, would also move into the new building on Webster Street.

The current building on Webster Street is in rough shape and would cost an estimated $800,000 to repair, said Anthony Goodnight, director of public works and engineering services for the city.

The cost of demolishing the existing building and replacing it is estimated at $1.4 million, he said. Adding enough space to house the garage and sign department would add about $450,000 to the cost.

The council's next meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. on the third floor of the City Building.