New Business for the March 4 Hurricane City Council meeting listed appointments and action on a recommendation of the Hurricane Planning Commission. There was, however, much more news than New Business.
City Manager Andy Skidmore informed the council that plans to purchase the 2.75 acres from the West Virginia Department of Highways adjacent to Fruth Pharmacy at the junction of State Routes 19 and 34 are progressing. The city is prepared to lease the property to a developer who has plans to fill and then build a commercial facility on the acreage. The land has been remediated and appraised at $400,000.
Skidmore provided council a June 1st official opening date for the new section of Bridge Park behind Hurricane First Baptist Church. The disc golf course at the park is complete and a tournament is scheduled for Saturday, March 9. The playing fields and concession/press box areas are off limits because construction is ongoing.
Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation to rezone 2741 Second Street from Residential to B-2 and to reduce the setback at the rear of the property to 6 feet. The lot is owned by the City and is available for parking. A Main Street business owner desires to purchase and build upon the property. Council approved the rezoning.
Fire Chief Mike Hoffman announced that the HFD has ramped up training. Hoffman stated that Forcible Entry training for 16 Hurricane firefighters and 4 Culloden VFD members in February was put to use the very next weekend when Hurricane responded to a fire at Sleepy Hollow which involved outward swinging steel doors.
Police Chief Mike Mullins reported HPD was busy with 40 arrests charged to the State and 18 to the City. HPD issued 163 citations and 166 warnings during February. Mullins said that seven of the arrests involved guns, three stolen guns and four for prohibited possession. Seizures included 102.5 grams of meth, 0.3 grams of Heroin, 2 pounds of marijuana, 21 grams of cocaine, 10 pouches of THC gummies, and $13,307 in cash.
Council approved the appointment of Rachel Hill to the Sewer Board and Ashley Deal to the Hurricane Development Authority. Council also approved the reappointments of Matt Synder to the Development Authority and Vernon Wysong, Dan Lauffer, and Roger Hughes to the Hurricane Planning Commission.
The council will next meet on Monday, March 25, for purpose of approving the budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
