Mayor Wolfe's State of the City address

Huntington Mayor Kim Wolfe’s State of the City address was not just an insight of the progress and difficulties of Huntington, but a positive look at new things to come.

In his address, Wolfe discussed issues like living in difficult economic times and the effects of recession. However, he followed that up with positives like crime reduction and new partnerships. This is an attempt to remind people of Huntington the city is on its way to improvement and recovery. Wolfe says one way to reach these goals is by having safer streets.

“The increase in police officers has strengthened the patrol force,” Wolfe said. “With the increase of additional officers, we were able to see a reduction in the city’s crime rate by 3.9 percent.”

The drop in crime has been around since 2008. In 2008, the Huntington Police Department increased its strength by adding six new positions through the general fund. This was also done by contracting with Pullman Square and the Huntington-Ironton Empowerment Zone. This collaborative effort raised $60,000 for a full-time foot patrol officer in the downtown area. In an effort to keep a positive future, Wolfe has included the hiring of six additional officers.

Wolfe also discussed having responsive and efficient government in Huntington. He discussed last year’s Constituent Service Liaison and making Huntington a friendlier place for business and people.

“The creation of this position has allowed us to be more responsive to the needs of the community,” Wolfe said. “It provides the level of service that our citizens deserve.”

In last year’s address, Wolfe said the Constituent Service Liason would aide in the responsiveness of his administration. He said it would benefit by addressing issues and complaints and report the problem to the appropriate department. Based on his words, the Liaison has been working.

Strong partnerships and collaborations also play a factor in the success of Huntington. Wolfe says he has received significant attention for the partnership with the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation District for the management of Harris Riverfront Park.

“As a result of turning the day-to-day operations and maintenance of Harris Riverfront Park over to the park district, the park is returning to being a destination we can be proud of in our downtown,” Wolfe said. “We are in the process of developing a master plan to strategize for the future growth and development of the park.”

He also said the Weed and Seed Program was a recognized at a national level for the efforts that took place during the first year of the program. He followed by saying, “the program saw real results that benefited our citizens.”

Wolfe’s address comes at a depressing time for Huntington. In a recent study by Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, Huntington was named one of the “10 unhappiest cities to live.” With Wolfe’s address and a year of opportunity ahead, Huntington can take a positive step into the future.