Mayor Felinton Explains Why $200,000 Is Available

I received an email from Huntington Mayor David Felinton. His Honor enlightened me as to why $200,000, planned to be used in the sanitation and trash departments enterprise fund, are now available to help cover the increase in the projected cost of the City's self-insured employee health insurance program.

Here is what Mayor Felinton said: "You may be misinformed about the transfer. We are not robbing "Peter to pay Paul". This was money that was to be transferred to the enterprise fund from the general fund, if the funds were needed to break even (in the created) enterprise fund (which was established) July 1. It was anticipated that the revenue would not cover the costs (or at least the fund would need to borrow start-up money from the general fund.) After the first round of billing and collections of the refuse fee, we found that it is not necessary. Thus we did not have to rob Paul (the general fund) to pay Peter (the enterprise fund), as was anticipated a few months ago."

I appreciate Mayor Felinton clarifying why the funds were available for other uses, and I apologize to him for making the wrong assumption about the reason for the transfer. I am comfortable that our mayor has the welfare of our city upper most in his mind.