PARKERSBURG - A resolution for the adoption of the 2013-2014 municipal budget for the city of Parkersburg is on the agenda of today's city council meeting.
Council, which meets at 7:30 p.m. in council chambers in the municipal building, as the budget committee of the whole last week completed talks on the $26.33 million spending plan that was referred to the council by a 5-4 vote. Voting against were Councilmen John Kelly, Roger Brown, J.R. Carpenter and Mike Reynolds.
An issue was the amount of pay raises going to several department heads, $8,400 to the personnel director and $4,500 to the public works director. Motions to cut the increases failed at the committee meeting.
A public hearing on the proposed budget will be held today during the discussion of the budget, which is the first resolution on the agenda and is sponsored by the committee of the whole.
Also on today's agenda is a resolution naming 50 acres in the Johnson T. Janes. Park as the Herman and Margy Marshall Nature and Wildlife Preserve. The resolution was sponsored by Kelly, James Reed, John Rockhold and Kim Coram.
Herman Marshall and Johnson T. Janes were partners in development who owned the land where there the park is located, said Kelly, who represents District 7 where the wildlife area is located. The park of more than 90 acres will keep the same name, but the 50 acres added to it by the Marshall family will be renamed in recognition of the gift to the city, Kelly said.
Another resolution will rename the horseshoe pits at City Park as the Loman Tumlin Memorial Horseshoe Center." Tumlin lived in south Parkersburg and had a passion for horseshoes and organized fund drives to support and construct the covered horsehoe courts.
In other business, an ordinance on first reading will create the position of assistant public works director, a full-time position approved through the personnel committee.
The assistant will replace, through attrition and retirements mid-level supervisors such as building and grounds, streets and street cleaning, central garage and the sanitation department. The legislation was sponsored by the Personnel Committee.
Also on the agenda:
* On final reading an ordinance to create the part-time position of police clerk in the police department, sponsored by the personnel committee.
* On first reading an ordinance for a lease for parking from the Wood County Commission, sponsored by Kelly, Reed and Rockhold.
* A resolution designating April as Fair Housing Month, sponsored by Kelly, Reed and Rockhold.
* A resolution for an agreement with Professional Pool Management LLC to manage the pools and waterslide for 2013, sponsored by Kelly, Reed and Rockhold.
