GALLIPOLIS — Gallipolis City Manager Randy Finney was a Gallipolitan bearing gifts during the Gallia County Chamber of Commerce’s “First Friday” meeting. He was the guest speaker for the monthly event held at the Ohio Valley Bank Annex on Third Avenue in Gallipolis.

According to Chamber Vice President Kyla Carpenter, the crowd assembled for Friday’s meeting was possibly the largest since the chamber initiated “First Friday” in 2009. Finney kept the mood light by giving away several prizes to residents who correctly answered trivia questions he sprinkled into his presentation.

Finney, who was hired as Gallipolis’ 30th city manager in October 2009, gave the audience a history lesson about city government. He also provided an organizational chart of city government.

Finney also offered a summary of services the city provides for residents, including water and sewer, fire and police protection, parks and recreation, maintenance and streets, and cemeteries.

He praised the city fire and police departments for their work in the community. The fire department provides service not only for residents inside the city limits, but also for Addison, Gallipolis, Clay and Green townships — a 93-square mile area, according to Finney. He said the fire department was responsible for saving $7 million worth of property in 2009.

Finney told the audience that city police department recently upgraded its radio communications by implemeting the Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS), which will decrease the general public’s access to emergency communications through the use of scanners. The city secured a $250,000 grant to pay for the system and purchased eight mobile and four handheld radios for officers to utilize.

He said police continue to work with residents through Neighborhood Watch, the Gallipolis City School District safety belt program and Police Hat Drive, which raised $6,500 to buy toys and other items for underprivileged children during the recent holiday season. The city police also picked up the Bronze Traffic Safety Award from AAA.

Finney said the city is currently involved in several projects, which include exploring plans for a new municipal building, the installation of water and sewer service for residents who live along Spruce Street Extension, the completion of Farm Road, sidewalk repair, infiltration and intake for the city sewer system and the America In Bloom beautification program.

Finney said the city has applied for grants to fund the demolition of vacant buildings and upgrades to the basketball courts at Haskins Park. He said he also hopes to renovate the tennis courts at Haskins.

Future goals, Finney said, include building a central complex for youth baseball fields, park front improvements — which could feature a shelter and amphitheater along the city’s waterfront — and a community center.

The next “First Friday” is scheduled for March 5. The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at the Ohio Valley Bank Annex on Third Avenue in Gallipolis. The guest speaker for the March meeting has yet to be determined.