Newell: Local economy improving

PARKERSBURG - The mayor gave Parkersburg City Council an overview of the city's financial shape while the fire chief said farewell at Tuesday's council meeting.

Mayor Bob Newell spoke to council about the city's financial shape with companies, such as Sirnaik LLC, looking to locate to the area and creating several hundred jobs after purchasing properties around Depot Street.

Newell said the National Guard was continuing to look for a site to build its armory, which will also be used as a local event center.

''There are signs the local economy is slowly improving,'' Newell said.

The mayor said business growth and the implementation of the user fee have increased the city's revenue to make up for some of the loss in B&O taxes caused by the downturn in the economy.

''We have reduced the size of government and continued to cut costs that have allowed all of our departments to finish the fiscal year within budget,'' Newell said. ''As a result, the city was able to pay back all of the money we borrowed from the capital reserve fund in the amount of (more than $400,000).

''However, we are not out of the woods yet. The national recession has continued to play havoc with our revenues and municipal budgets. We have made progress without reducing services to our citizens.''

There are more than $1 million in street improvement and public works projects going on in the city as well as projects like Point Park and the skate park funded by the state or through the work of local citizens, Newell said.

''At the end of August, I should have a better idea of the coming year's (financial) forecast,'' Newell said. ''I will be able to give a more accurate setting of the projected revenue and the increased costs that affected our budget last year.''

Even with the user fee, the city's revenues were around $700,000 less than anticipated due to decreases in the B&O taxes, which dropped by $1.5 million without warning, while costs for pensions, insurance and other costs increased by $11.2 million, Newell said.

''I want to thank our department heads, our employees and city council for all of the difficult decisions and all the hard decisions that had to be made,'' the mayor said.

Fire Chief Eric Chichester appeared before council for the last time as chief. Chichester will retire from the position on July 22.

He thanked the city for his more than 27 years of service.

Chichester commended city officials for working toward achieving what he said has been best for the city and working with him to achieve that.

CDL Changes Proposed By Federal Motor Carrier Safety - CDL Handbook

“The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) will possibly see a change to the CDL rules throughout rural and farm areas across America, if it passes. The FMSCA is trying to decide if the off-road machinery and equipment, used to transport goods on roads, should be classified as commercial vehicles wish would entitle everybody that drives one to get a Commercial Drivers License (CDL).

Each state is allowed to grant exemptions for the CDL qualifications, and each state is different. Certain states may not be infected by this FMSCA proposed change because of this. If the proposed change happens, in North Dakota it would effect “”tractors, combines and pickup trucks hauling grain or livestock would have to be licensed as commercial vehicles”" and just be “”another headache”" says Sandy Clark, the North Dakota Farm Bureau Policy Director.

In Texas, if the combined truck and trailer weight is over 26,000, a new CDL must be in use according to the new rules. Where as in Wisconsin the rules would change the way people are charged for a crime included with their CDL.

It’s believed that all these changes would be beneficial to the safety of both CDL drivers and other licensed drivers throughout America.

According to etrucker.com, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) would change the way testing for entry level CDL’s would be given, or take place. The new rules would be in effect by the end of the year. This would be both a good and bad thing, since it means that if you already have a CDL, you would have to retest by retaking the driving test, no matter which level you are at. It may be easier to get an entry level CDL now, once all the changes are in place and effect.

Some states approve of all the changes the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are trying to put into place, other states don’t like any of them, or just a few of them. Since every state is effected differently on the Commercial Driving License rule changes, the reaction is different. Is your state changing the way CDLs are given over the next year? Remember all changes would be for safety reasons.”

Find out more, visit:

The Dickinson Press

VATAT CDL Rule Changes

New Rules Online CDL Training Programs

U.S.

Commercial Drivers License Pre-Trip Inspection Training Manual, A No Nonsense Approach to Passing the CDL Pre-Trip Inspection on the First Try

Commercial Driver's License (CDL), Professional Driver's Study Manual

Barron's CDL Commercial Driver's License Truck Driver's Test

Barron's how to prepare for the CDL commercial driver's license, bus driver's test

Michigan commercial driver license manual