Breaking News
Local News

Parkersburg City Council authorizes second homeless outreach coordinator

End-of-year budget revision resolution approved

By Evan Bevins 3 min read

PARKERSBURG -- A resolution adding a second homeless outreach coordinator and a series of year-end budget revisions were approved by Parkersburg City Council on Tuesday.

Mayor Tom Joyce reiterated points he made at Monday's Personnel Committee meeting, saying the civilian coordinator job in the Police Department has been well received by both officers and businesspeople.

"I think it's been as impactful as anything we've done, at least in the four-and-a-half years I've been here," Joyce said.

The coordinator has interacted with 134 people since the city began tracking his contacts in mid-March.

"Ninety-four percent of those 134 people that have been engaged have received some form of assistance," Joyce said.

That includes referrals for services like housing assistance and substance abuse treatment. In addition, 13 people have been voluntarily reunited with loved ones outside the area, the mayor said.

A second coordinator would provide coverage outside the 40 hours the other coordinator works, Joyce said.

Council approved the resolution on a 7-0 vote, with Councilmen Bob Mercer and Mike Reynolds absent.

Another unanimous vote approved a series of budget revisions as the fiscal year winds to a close on June 30.

"By and large, they are shoring up line items based on what we know at this moment" regarding income and expenses, Finance Director Eric Jiles said.

The revisions increased general fund revenue by $672,510, with the largest additions being $300,000 for current year property taxes, $140,000 for the previous year's and $370,000 for the excess levy that supports the Mid-Ohio Valley Transit Authority.

After the meeting, Jiles said property tax receipts were down almost $200,000 in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020, so the estimates were reduced in a revision to this year's budget to account for that trend and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, property owners apparently got caught up on their taxes, resulting in higher-than-expected revenue, he said.

The revision also included a $173,394 reduction in hotel occupancy tax revenue, which Jiles attributed to the restrictions on travel during the pandemic. Half of that revenue would have gone to the Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In other business:

* Council voted 7-0 to approve the final reading of an ordinance enacting a 2 percent pay increase for police officers, firefighters and part-time employees. All other employees, except elected officials, are budgeted to receive the same increase, but the positions specified in the ordinance require legislative action for their pay to be changed.

* Council voted 6-1, with Councilwoman Jesse Cottrille opposed, to approve a resolution revising the Fire Department's grievance policy, so that subjects outside the purview of the Civil Service Commission follow the same procedure as other municipal departments. This item was incorrectly referred to as an ordinance in Tuesday's edition of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel.

* The final reading of an ordinance authorizing an online auction of city property on the govdeals.com website passed 7-0.

* Council voted 7-0 to approve the first reading of an ordinance rezoning parcels adjacent to Johnson T. Janes Park that were donated to the city from residential to recreational.

* Also passing unanimously was the first reading of an ordinance abandoning an unimproved portion of 17th Avenue adjacent to 1500 South Hills Drive.

Starting at /week.