Census Burea Plans to Combine Charleston and Huntington Urbanized Areas (Wheeling: sales, violent crime)

[westvissouri]

But as far as eastern Cabell County joining Huntington. No way. Huntington can't even pave their own streets.

[CTMountaineer]

Originally Posted by Chriscross309

As far as annexation goes, I think it is a good idea for these areas of Kanawha County to join Charleston. Mostly because they would gain access to services like the Fire/Police Depts. that the city has to offer. It also is great for the City of Charleston because it allows them to gain land that can be developed. An example would be the City of South Charleston annexing the area we now know as Southridge Center, Dudley Farms Plaza, and The Shops at Trace Fork.

I honestly believe that combining recourses will eventually payoff and allow cities like Charleston to prosper.

It might buy them some time, but it only masks the problems. If people are leaving Charleston, or any city for that matter (Pittsburgh is losing thousands too) adding territory to add bodies only serves to pass the problems that are causing people to leave on to other areas. Why should the folks in South Charleston have to pick up the tab for a declining revenue base in Charleston? It makes lots of sense for Charleston, but not so much for the others.

[tallydude02]

Speaking of annexation in the Morgantown area, I always wondered why the Morgantown Mall area, which includes the mall plus several restaurants and hotels, does not fall in any city boundaries. It's closest to Westover, but Westover does not claim it. That's alot of revenue that could be coming into Westover.

Also the Glenmark shopping area off I-68 is not in any city either. Morgantown city limits begin about a more or so at the airport and the Pinecrest Country Club.

But Morgantown did annex the new Wal-Mart off Grafton Road a couple of years ago, but strangely, the nearby hotels and Brunswick apartments still are in unincorporated Mon County.

[Chriscross309]

Originally Posted by CTMountaineer

It might buy them some time, but it only masks the problems. If people are leaving Charleston, or any city for that matter (Pittsburgh is losing thousands too) adding territory to add bodies only serves to pass the problems that are causing people to leave on to other areas. Why should the folks in South Charleston have to pick up the tab for a declining revenue base in Charleston? It makes lots of sense for Charleston, but not so much for the others.

True, but cities like South Charleston, Dunbar, St. Albans, ect wouldn't have to join!

[NOVAmtneer82]

Originally Posted by Chriscross309

True, but cities like South Charleston, Dunbar, St. Albans, ect wouldn't have to join!

Add in the fact that South Charleston, Dunbar, St. Albans etc are all losing population as well and makes even more sense to merge. But no, the residents of South Charleston LOVE their twice a week trash pick-up that Charleston DOES NOT OFFER!!. That was one of my favorite arguments against annexation by South Charleston residents when I was still in the Valley. They were borderline obsessed with it. How much garbage can one household seriously produce? So much for regional cooperation..

[Chriscross309]

Originally Posted by NOVAmtneer82

Add in the fact that South Charleston, Dunbar, St. Albans etc are all losing population as well and makes even more sense to merge. But no, the residents of South Charleston LOVE their twice a week trash pick-up that Charleston DOES NOT OFFER!!. That was one of my favorite arguments against annexation by South Charleston residents when I was still in the Valley. They were borderline obsessed with it. How much garbage can one household seriously produce? So much for regional cooperation..

I know what you mean aboth those "Southcharlians"---LOL

Look at the success Louiville had when it merged its metro area! As a resident of Kanawha County, and a opportunist, I think that the state of WV needs a city like Charleston to become more attractive for economic growth on a large scale! Lets face it, North Central WV will continue to grow and prosper as a satellite to the up-n-coming Pittsburgh, but the state of WV only has Charleston and Huntington as two real cities. Both have seen great success before and can reach that level once again if the proper ssteps are taken.

[tbailey1138]

Originally Posted by westvissouri

But as far as eastern Cabell County joining Huntington. No way. Huntington can't even pave their own streets.

Unfortunately, this is the kind of attitude that continually holds the area back. Have you actually checked the news from other places lately? Cities across the country are having trouble paving roads, some even to the point where they grind the asphault down and turn it into a gravel road. Huntington has over 200 miles of road in city limits and ANY city would be hard pressed to maintain all of that well. Last time I checked, Barboursville and Milton weren't doing such a hot job of maintaining their roads either. And all other roads in the county, well the sate has to take care of them and they haven't been doing so hot either. So is road paving really what you wht to complain about? What benefit would Huntington have by adding Eastern Cabell County though? Not much from what I can see. What would those areas be without Huntington though? Even less than they are. Where would those people work? Where would they get good, local healthcare? Heck, if you didn't have the half of the county living in Huntington to pay property taxes and help cover Cabell County deputies and other things that the county commision pays for with that money, that half of the county would be even less.

This isn't about paving roads though, its about working together and saving tax payers money by getting rid of duplicate government positions and not having to pay salaries and pension plans for multiple people to do the same job. It's about combining resources so that law enforcement officials would be able to serve the whole county rather than staying only in city boundaries and then unicorporated areas getting the shaft. It's about seeing ourselves as a whole area rather than smaller areas that need each other but consistently fight and argue about how much we don't need each other. Would Barboursvile have the HUNTINGTON MALL if it wasn't for Huntington? Where would people live in the area if they wanted a newer subdivision in a smaller area if it wasn't for Barboursville, Milton etc. Point being everyone needs to lose the better than thou attitudes and see that we are all connected and all share the same fate. A more attractive Huntington is a more attractive Cabell County. A unhealthy Huntington is an unhealthy Cabell County. Like it or not, if you live in Cabell County, whether in Huntington city limits or not, most of those from outside the area see you as being "in Huntington" so to speak. No amount of animosity and degrading statements will change that, it will only make success for the area harder to achieve due to conflicting attitudes.

[NOVAmtneer82]

Originally Posted by Chriscross309

I know what you mean aboth those "Southcharlians"---LOL

Look at the success Louiville had when it merged its metro area! As a resident of Kanawha County, and a opportunist, I think that the state of WV needs a city like Charleston to become more attractive for economic growth on a large scale! Lets face it, North Central WV will continue to grow and prosper as a satellite to the up-n-coming Pittsburgh, but the state of WV only has Charleston and Huntington as two real cities. Both have seen great success before and can reach that level once again if the proper ssteps are taken.

My two younger siblings live in Columbus, Ohio, another city whose leaders recognized the importance of annexation back in the day. Starting in the 1950s, if neighboring unincorporated towns in Franklin County wanted to hook up to city water, they had to agree to be annexed into Columbus. Annexation and a more business friendly environment as a result of regional cooperation are one of the main reasons the entire Central Ohio region has been able to thrive while others in the state rust away.

Virginia also plays it smart by requiring strict guidelines (i.e. certain population density, etc) for a community to be incorporated as a "city." Virginia law also requires cities to operate independently from counties but that is another story. However, this type of policy has prevented the type of mass incorporation that plagues the Kanawha Valley and other areas around the state. Case in point...the Kanawha Valley has a very large number of incorporated communities within its borders including:Charleston, S. Charleston, Dunbar, Nitro, St. Albans, Belle, East Bank, Marmet, Chesapeake, Pratt, Handley, Glasgow, Cedar Grove, Clendenin. I can almost guarantee that I missed at least two or three. Every single one of those places has their own police force, city council, mayor, etc. The Roanoke Valley of Virginia has a similar population and boasts only two...Roanoke city and Salem city. In fact, the entire state of Virginia has nearly 8 million people and no more than 40 incorporated cities...I just came close to 1/3rd of that with Kanawha County alone. There is just simply not a need for a lot of these places to be incorporated when they have populations of less than 10,000 or so people. It is a huge waste of resources.

[Chriscross309]

Originally Posted by NOVAmtneer82

There is just simply not a need for a lot of these places to be incorporated when they have populations of less than 10,000 or so people. It is a huge waste of resources.

amen!!!!

I live in Clendenin, and that small town of less than 2,000 people cannot function! I think it would be more attractive for business if these small towns and communities would combine recourses.

[CTMountaineer]

Originally Posted by Chriscross309

I know what you mean aboth those "Southcharlians"---LOL

Look at the success Louiville had when it merged its metro area! As a resident of Kanawha County, and a opportunist, I think that the state of WV needs a city like Charleston to become more attractive for economic growth on a large scale! Lets face it, North Central WV will continue to grow and prosper as a satellite to the up-n-coming Pittsburgh, but the state of WV only has Charleston and Huntington as two real cities. Both have seen great success before and can reach that level once again if the proper ssteps are taken.

Really, you think those are REAL cities? Interesting. West Virginia doesn't have any real cities... just various sized small towns. The two you mention have been getting smaller. North Central is growing, and in Morgantown you get a true urbal feel (restaurants, entertainment, sports) without the negatives. Proximity to an actual city is a plus, but Morgantown wants to always have its college town feel. It doesn't seek to be a burned out former manufacturing shell with a declining population base, a largely uneducated or undereducated population, and a fixed mindset that actually works against real growth. Charleston is saddled with the political establishment and a declining industrial base. Huntington is saddled with an entitlement mindset and a declining industrial base. In my opinion, both situations inhibit growth.

There is a big difference between Charleston's situation and that of Louisville. Churchill Downs, YUM Foods, Louisvlle Sluggers, U. of Louisville, and a prosperous surrounding area vs. the state government of the Nation's poorest state. Success one place doesn't necessarily translate to that someplace else. That said, I know they are desperate in Charleston so what they are doing is understandable and predictable.

Morgantown's growth is not just because it is near Pittsburgh. It is growing because of the kind of town it happens to be... a town with a very high percentage of educated people that is perfectly situated, with its highly educated population base, to take advantage of the growth new research presents. And, it has the built in support base at hand. In addition, cooperation between the various local factions is outstanding.