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Council gives employees raises, airport extra funds

Members of the Huntington Common Council approved raises for city employees and extra money for the Huntington Municipal Airport, but had no interest in a proposal by Councilman Greg Davis that city spending for 2015 be cut by 5 percent across the board.

Davis made his proposal during the council's early morning meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 30, as the council was asked to approve an appropriation ordinance for 2015.
The appropriation ordinance is a companion piece to the previously approved 2015 budget and sets out spending limits for individual city departments.

Citing a nationwide trend of decreasing assessed values, Davis proposed cuts to those appropriations.

"I would like to see this lowered by 5 percent across the board," he said. He was willing to exclude only money set aside for bond repayment.

Davis's motion died for lack of second.

Mayor Brooks Fetters noted that assessed values in Huntington are actually increasing, but not as quickly as the city's budget.

And, he added, the city's tax rate for 2015 is expected to decrease for the third consecutive year.

"We continue to do more with less," Fetters said.

"I think the city employees and departments should be applauded," Councilman Charles Chapman said.

The city has been able to reduce costs and use the savings for projects such as street paving and sewer and water repair, Chapman said.

Council unanimously approved on first reading a salary ordinance giving most city employees a raise of approximately 2 percent for 2015.

Police and firefighters will receive a 1.5 percent salary increase and a .5 percent increase in longevity pay.

Union workers, who negotiated their pay last year, will receive increases of 20 cents an hour.

The council gave final approval to rezone a building at 44 E. Park Drive from residential to business.

Local businessman Todd Nightenhelser plans to open a games business in the building, which originally housed Huntington's public library and more recently served as offices for the Huntington County Community Schools.

Council members approved an additional appropriation for 2014 of $16,000 to Huntington Municipal Airport. The money will be used to repair equipment that was damaged by a lightning strike and for maintenance of the grounds.

Also, the council approved a financial plan for annexing a 3.63-acre property at 3046W-500N. The owners of the property, Jeanette and Arden Schilling, requested the annexation.

A public hearing on the annexation will be held during a special council meeting on Oct. 7.