MAN — Members of the Man Town Council discussed bridges, grant applications and a different approach to annexation in the Huff Junction area at their December monthly meeting.

Mayor Jim Blevins said that he has spoken with Department of Transportation Officials about the other bridge in the downtown Man area and was told that the second bridge there should be completed this spring. Last month, town fathers were overjoyed when the new bridge replacing the Market Street Bridge was opened.

"The new bridge is going well and I was told they should be finished as early as May possibly," Mayor Blevins told councilmembers. "They drilled down to the rock last week and started work on the middle pillar.

Last month the new Market Street bridge was unveiled with a special ceremony featuring comments from West Virginia Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin who cut the ribbon for the bridge. Tomblin said the new bridge along with the Route 10 bridge currently under construction should add to the health, safety and mobility concerns of people in the Man community. When the Department of Highways had initially delayed the project and suggested putting in a temporary structure, Tomblin became involved and demanded a permanent bridge for the community.

At the Dec. 14, Mayor Blevins said the town had been very lucky in regards to obtaining grant money from the state in recent months thanks to help from Earl Ray Tomblin and Sen. Ron Stollings. Blevins asked the council to pass resolutions that could help the town to receive an additional $42,000 in grant money as well as to approve matching funds for those grants.

Grants include:

• Recreation projects, the town swimming pool and July 4 celebration - $25,000. Matching funds - $2,500.

• Buffalo Creek Memorial Library - $5,000.

• Man City Hall renovations - $2,000. Matching funds-$200.

• Man Little League equipment - $3,000. Matching funds- $300.

• Man Sidewalk Paving project - $7,500. Matching funds -$750.

Over the past few years the Town of Man has received $525,000 in state and federal grants which were used to pave sidewalks, renovate the pool, replace a dilapidated water department structure and more.

Mayor Blevins said a hearing was held recently at the Logan County Commission offices to discuss the town's request to annex parts of the Huff Junction area via a minor boundary adjustment and that the request had changed to make the decision part of the next upcoming election.

Town attorney Bernard Spaulding said the annexation could also be handled via a petition from a resident of the proposed annexed area.

"We own the swimming pool, could we annex up to there?" Mayor Blevins asked.

Spaulding said he would contact the West Virginia Municipal League about the matter. Spaulding said if one resident in the area requested to come into city limits they could be brought into the town without abutting other properties and their request would not affect those who did not wish to come in. Spaulding said if the matter is decided by election the people who own property in the area and town residents would be allowed to vote on the matter.

Earlier this year, local businessman Rick Grimmett approached the town council about coming into city limits for a business project that he wished which required municipal police protection.

In other Man news:

• Council approved Christmas bonuses for employees. The town’s annual Christmas Party for employees was held Friday, Dec. 18 at noon.

• Council approved a raise for Sgt. W.D. "Dave" Walls of the Man Police Department.