WHEELING - Today marks one year on the job for freshmen Wheeling City Council members James Tiu, Gene Fahey and Donald Atkinson.
On July 1, 2008, the trio took their seats alongside veteran council members Vernon Seals, Herk Henry and Gloria Delbrugge.
Since that time, council has embarked on policies to change the city's charter through "home rule" initiatives; to spur downtown development by assisting with the purchase of the Capitol Music Hall; and to reduce the size of city government.
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“I found that government moves very slowly. Going in, you want to make changes, and you just can’t do it.”
Donald Atkinson
All three freshman council members said they have thus far enjoyed their service to the city.
"Public service suits me," Tiu said. "There will always be issues. I am satisfied when we can help the city's resources come together for individual residents. If we can find a better way to do something for everybody, then I'm very satisfied when we can do it."
He said he feels privileged to serve the people of the Fourth Ward.
"People feel comfortable about approaching me," Tiu said. "And they are frank and concise in their comments about the ward. I take every constituent request from those in my ward very seriously. I take any resident's opinion - if it's on a city-wide issue - very seriously."
Most of the comments Tiu said he receives are about "nuts and bolts" issues, such as police coverage, potholes, paving requests and playground repairs.
"That's what happens when people take a look at their neighborhood," Tiu said. "They wonder, 'What can we do to make it better?'"
And Tiu said that as a councilman, he has learned he must "remain flexible" and to consider all points on matters before him.
"Each new issue has its own concerns," Tiu said. "I'm more willing to hear what people have to say than to form an opinion immediately. That is what has opened my eyes about public service."
When Tiu first ran for office, his platform was one that focused on entrepreneurialship, recruitment and retention.
"And taking that approach has helped me immensely," he said. "I have enjoyed being on council. I hope residents think I'm doing a good job. I enjoy public service."
"I wanted to see city government move toward making things simple and fair," he said. "And I think we did that."
He pointed to the recent reduction of businesses licenses needed in Wheeling, and to proposed changes in the city's fire fee structure. Council soon will consider an ordinance that will eliminate the $10 fire fee on each vehicle in the city, while increasing by $10 a fire fee for homeowners.
"All is in the same goal of having a city with a government that is simple and fair," Fahey said. "I hope we can continue forward. There are some real positives that have occurred in the past year."
But the biggest challenge facing council is determining "what is the right size government" without compromising services, according to Fahey. Job reductions will likely occur through attrition, he noted.
"Personally, I do not want to see someone lose their job," he said. "Some positions can be taken out without anybody losing their job."
This past year, council eliminated 13 unfilled positions on the city payroll, including jobs on the fire, police and public works departments.
Fahey said his proudest moment as a councilman came when the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau purchased the historic Capitol Music Hall in the downtown.
"It was a monumental day for Wheeling's future," he noted. "It's where the rubber met the road in terms of revitalization, and it's going to be a key to development of the downtown."
Fahey said he has enjoyed the process of city government, and watching how a germ of an idea comes to fruition.
One such idea was the creation of the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority to oversee day-to-day operations at WesBanco Arena and the Capitol Music Hall, Fahey said.
"I'd like to see us go forward, implement as much technology as we can, and become paperless," he said.
"There are a lot of functions and tours of local businesses," he said. "You don't have to go, but you should go."
However, he said he wished the pace of city government moved faster.
"I found that government moves very slowly," Atkinson said. "Going in, you want to make changes, and you just can't do it. You want to get buildings torn down and things cleaned up. You don't realize that it takes two years to get a building torn down."
He predicts there will be more progress in redeveloping downtown Wheeling in the coming months.
"Some things will happen," Atkinson said. "The Capitol was a super start. It was on everyone's list of to-do's."
He said the best part of the job thus far has been meeting many of the city's residents.
"There are a lot of people who are pro-Wheeling, and they want to make things change," Atkinson noted. "It's been a lot of fun, and I've learned a ton. I've met a lot of great people. I think we're getting some of the negativity turned around in the town."