HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — During his 11th State of the City address Monday night in Huntington, Mayor Steve Williams said by doing things the “Huntington Way,” the city has been growing.
Highlighted by infrastructure projects, city investments, and unemployment, Williams spoke before members of city council and attendees of the public Monday. He began his address with the proposed budget for the year, calling it, “Conservative in our revenue projections and cautious in our spending.”
Mayor Williams had said before he believed the city had an expense problem more than a revenue problem. Now, he said the city is benefiting and leading the state in areas of tax reductions, revenue increases, and unemployment rates.
“Our unemployment rate is 3%, less than half of the 6.6% that it was in January of 2013,” Williams said. “The unemployment rate is lower than anytime since 1969.”
Also in the address, an impressive number of projects the city is either seeing take place right now, or are in the near stages of beginning. The mayor said there are currently 67 projects that will be completed in the next 2 to 5 years, totaling around $514 million.
“These projects are funded through federal and state partnerships, private funding and, in part, through our capital improvements budget,” he said.
Thanks to the ACT Now Coalition, projects in southern West Virginia will receive nearly $63, with over $15 million of that assisting projects in the city of Huntington. A few notable multi-million dollar projects include the Highlawn area’s ACF site and Marshall university’s new baseball stadium.
Williams was also pleased to say all city employees will receive pay increases. City employees will be making at least $15 an hour.
The Huntington Police Department will be the highest paid law enforcement agency in the state, according to Williams. He also said the Huntington Fire Department’s budget will be the largest it’s ever been.
Speaking of the police department, Mayor Williams during the city council meeting introduced Phil Watkins as the new police chief of Huntington, an appointment approved by the council with congratulatory applause.
“Phil Watkins is a man of integrity, he’s a man of experience,” said Williams. “He’s a man of compassion and he’s a man who’s principled.”
Watkins had been serving in the interim role as chief ever since former Chief Karl Colder’s resigned last week. Watkins will be sworn in at a later date yet to be determined.