The Power of Listening

My family is filled with teachers. When I was growing up, my grandmother, many aunts and uncles, and more than a few cousins were all educators who enriched my life. One of the more important lessons they taught me was that it is hard to learn anything while you are talking, so if you want to get smarter, keep your mouth shut and listen. I tried to do that this week. Here are some of the things I learned.

• At the Neighborhood Institute meeting, which includes leaders from all of Huntington’s neighborhood associations, I learned a lot about the city’s road maintenance plans, the rental housing registry, and crime in the city. Crime statistics are not as straightforward as you might think; however, what was easy to understand is that reported murders were down from seven in 2022 to one last year. Despite this progress, there was a sharp increase in various other crimes including arson, shoplifting, and robbery. Public safety is every mayor’s top priority, and from what I can gather, it seems we need to put more police officers on the streets so they can start relentlessly enforcing our laws.

• At the City Council meeting, I learned more about the city’s $200 million wastewater treatment plant and pump station upgrades. These are BIG projects that are scheduled to take many years to complete. A lot can go wrong with projects of this size, so the city will need experienced leadership if we expect them to be completed on time and within budget.

• At a lunch meeting with Major General Crane, I learned that the West Virginia National Guard is working hard to help people find jobs and also to bring more people to the state. I already knew the Guard’s mission includes everything from responding to emergencies (e.g., flooding), to helping cities demolish blighted buildings, to defending the nation in combat zones around the world. What I didn’t know was the vital role they will play in helping make our new cyber security center a success.

• At a meeting with West Virginia State Auditor J.B. McCuskey, I learned how, through a program called the WV Checkbook, his office is striving to provide simple-to-understand, accurate financial information so constituents can track how cities are spending their tax dollars. Since Huntington doesn’t participate in the program, I need to learn how we make sure every one of our tax dollars is accounted for and how we currently prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.

• At a meeting with business leaders, I learned from Kenny Boggs, owner of Adam’s Landing Marina in Guyandotte, that boating has a huge economic impact in the state and the potential for growth along the banks of the Ohio River is enormous. I also learned that the best sunsets in town are often hidden behind our floodwall.

Finally, this week I made a point to seek out at least one person from every neighborhood in Huntington to see what problems they think need to be addressed. What I learned is that the challenges I think are troubling a neighborhood are not always the ones seen by people who actually live there. It is a simple truth that proves the timeless lesson I learned from the teachers in my family. You can learn a lot by genuinely listening to the diverse perspectives and wisdom within our community. 

Thank you for reading. Please share or forward this message to your friends and family members who want to help make Huntington a better place to live and work!