Latest news with #MorgantownCityCouncil
Dominion Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Dominion Post
City looking at Chestnut, Spruce for 'streetscape' improvements
MORGANTOWN — High Street received a streetscape makeover in 2013. Pleasant Street got spruced up in 2023. Walnut Street – at least a block of it – will, presumably, have a new look to show off at some point this year. So, what's next? Based on the Department of Transportation TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) Grant applications approved this week by Morgantown City Council, likely Chestnut Street, then Spruce. In October, the city learned it was the recipient of a $180,000 TAP Grant to design pedestrian improvements for Chestnut Street. Now, the city is going back to the well, seeking $1.55 million to construct at least a portion of the project. If awarded, the city would be required to provide a 20% match, totalling $310,000. The street runs roughly 2,100 feet between Foundry and Willey streets. It's one of five streets that make up the one-way grid in the city's downtown. While the city concedes the work will likely need to be approached in phases, the ultimate goal is to address the entirety of Chestnut Street with new sidewalks/ADA infrastructure, lighting and appropriate landscaping. According to information provided in council's latest agenda packet, 'The project will also consider the addition of adding road markings or sharrows on Chestnut Street, which will enable cars and bicycles to share the street.' Moving up a couple blocks, the city is once again seeking assistance kicking off a revisioning of Spruce Street — this time in the form of a $450,000 TAP Grant. The city notes, 'The design concept will include all new sidewalks, improvement for ADA infrastructure, new lighting, and appropriate landscaping as well. The city will conduct research on an optimal streetscape plan for the possibility of converting one of the lanes for strict bicycle usage.' Like all TAP Grants, the city would be on the hook for a 20% local match, totaling $90,000, if awarded. Assistant City Manager Emily Muzzarelli previously said that once streetscape enhancements on Pleasant, Walnut and Chestnut streets were complete, it would likely be time to circle back to High Street once again. Lastly, the city is continuing to push for pedestrian enhancements serving the Morgantown Municipal Airport, requesting a $380,000 TAP Grant to design the Morgantown Municipal Airport Bike Path and Walking Trail Connector — a five-foot-wide pedestrian and bike path from the Sabraton Baptist Church on Sabraton Avenue to the West Virginia Land Trust walking trails off Hartman Run Road. That, in turn, would make way for a future connection to Hart Field Road. If fully awarded, the grant would require a $76,000 match.
Dominion Post
15-07-2025
- Business
- Dominion Post
County, Morgantown, Star City cancel this week's regular meetings
MORGANTOWN — The city of Morgantown, the town of Star City and the Monongalia County Commission have each canceled their regularly scheduled meetings this week. Just after 8:30 a.m. Monday, an updated Morgantown City Council agenda was posted on the city of Morgantown's website indicating Tuesday evening's regular meeting had been cancelled. Morgantown Communications Director Brad Riffee explained, 'We want to ensure full compliance with the Open Governmental Meetings Act, which requires that agendas be properly posted in advance of the scheduled meeting.' The Open Governmental Meetings Act states agendas are to be posted three business days prior to the meeting time – meaning by 7 p.m. the Thursday prior for a Tuesday evening meeting. The original meeting agenda posted to the city's site missed that mark by about three hours. Riffee explained that several of the agenda items scheduled for the canceled session will likely be addressed in a forthcoming special meeting, while less urgent matters will be pushed to the first regular meeting in August. Likewise, Star City Town Council will not hold its regularly scheduled Tuesday meeting. Mayor Sharon Doyle said the decision came down to missing members and a simple lack of agenda items. 'We cancel ours periodically,' Doyle said, explaining the city's bylaws require only one meeting every 30 days. 'We have two meetings a month. We can cancel one of them if we don't have anything on the agenda … It's a lack of agenda items and we've got some folks on vacation. There wasn't going to be any new business on this agenda anyway, so we're just going to go ahead and cancel it.' Star City Town Council will hold its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Aug. 5. Moving on to Wednesday, the Monongalia County Commission will not convene for its 10 a.m. weekly meeting. The commission voted to cancel the meeting on June 25, noting one commissioner will be out of town on vacation and another commissioner – and the commission office staff – will be in Philadelphia for the National Association of Counties Annual Conference and Exposition. The commission will return to its regular schedule on July 23.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Can council repeal the city's camping ban?
Jul. 4—MORGANTOWN — Now that a new lineup has been sworn in, could Morgantown City Council simply repeal the camping ban ordinance upheld by the city's voters on April 29 ? Technically, yes. Based on the city charter, there's nothing preventing it. Is it going to ? "I don't think so, " Mayor Danielle Trumble told The Dominion Post, explaining she's not been involved in any conversations regarding the law's repeal. "I respect the decision of the voters, " she added. "But this is a good time to ensure that we are being compassionate with enforcement." The Morgantown camping ban debate kicked off July 2, 2024, and basically ran hot until the end of April, when Morgantown's voters opted not to repeal the ban in a closely contested ballot referendum — 982 voted against repeal while 904 voted to strike it from the books. As part of that same ballot, Morgantown elected two new council members, shifting the apparent majority opinion on the issue based on votes cast and /or public commentary offered by Trumble, Deputy Mayor Brian Butcher, Jodi Hollingshead and Mark Downs. But even if a majority of council is aligned and the city's charter is hands-off on the matter, repealing a law immediately after it was upheld by the voters is shaky ground — not only electorally, but potentially legally. When asked about the legality of a repeal, Trumble consulted the city's attorney and said she was informed that while there's nothing preventing it, there would likewise be nothing preventing a lawsuit for negating the vote. Further, it was explained that most places build in a moratorium on action involving the subject of a referendum. As for enforcement, Morgantown Communications Director Brad Riffee said there had been six warnings issued—but no citations written—as of Wednesday morning. The law took effect June 4. Under the ordinance, a first violation results in a written warning and information about available shelter and services. A second violation may result in a fine of up to $200, and a third violation within a year may result in a fine up to $500 and /or up to 30 days in jail. Individuals cited under the law are eligible for alternative sentencing if they seek assistance with substance use, mental health, or housing-related case management. The city is working with Valley HealthCare Systems to manage the alternative sentencing program. Further, the law says no citation will be issued unless the person in violation has been offered "alternative shelter " and refused the offer. An offer of shelter means an alternate location, which may include "emergency shelter or any alternate indoor or outdoor location where the person may sleep overnight." The problem is—and has been—that there are very limited shelter beds in and around Morgantown. During the most recent council meeting, Butcher said the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness made him aware of multiple individuals whose offer of alternative shelter was in another city. "If this shelter was aware of the fact that we were sending people there, they would probably not be too happy about it. It was out of town. I don't know how that necessarily qualifies as an offer of shelter. Technically, I guess it does, " he said. "This is what I was worried about, and the things I was talking about when I said we're putting our first responders in a bad position—where they have to respond to these things in ways that don't necessarily meet the needs of the people they're talking to."
Dominion Post
07-06-2025
- Business
- Dominion Post
City creating second safe surrender site, cutting taxes for some small businesses
MORGANTOWN — The city of Morgantown is taking advantage of a recent change in state code to create the city's second safe surrender site. Safe surrender sites are designated locations at which newborns up to 30 days old can be dropped off while maintaining the anonymity of the person surrendering the child. In April 2024, Morgantown opened West Virginia's second Safe Haven Baby Box at the Norwood Fire Station. Earlier this year, the West Virginia Legislature expanded the allowable surrender sites beyond fire departments to include police departments, sheriff's departments and EMS facilities. In response, the city of Morgantown is looking to add the Morgantown Public Safety Building – home of the Morgantown Police Department – as a designated site. Unlike the Norwood setup, which includes dedicated infrastructure known as a 'baby box,' built directly into the fire station, a baby dropped at the Public Safety Building will be handed to a police officer. 'The police department, who is there 24-7, feel comfortable that they would be able to have policy and procedures to follow state code and be able to accept an infant less than 30 days old and get it to the nearest hospital facility,' Assistant City Manager Emily Muzzarelli said. 'It likely would go to the police supervisor … but it still requires the same anonymity. The person does not have to give their name or any information should they not want to.' Morgantown City Council recently passed the first reading of an ordinance creating a new section of code pertaining to the safe surrender sites. Safe surrender guidelines were previously under the city's fire code as fire stations were the only allowable locations under the law as it was passed by the West Virginia Legislature in 2023. In other business, council has passed on first reading amendments to the city's business license and business and occupation tax provisions. During its most recent session, the Legislature passed House Bill 2451, which eliminates the need for municipal business licensure as well as business and occupation tax liability for some businesses. City Attorney Ryan Simonton explained that in order to be eligible for the business license exemption, a business must be a sole proprietorship or independent contractor; cannot have a permanent physical location within the city; and must generate annual revenue below $2,500. In order to be exempt from business and occupation tax liability, a business must generate gross annual revenue below $2,500. Business and occupation taxes – or B&O taxes – are taxes charged by municipalities on business activity within the city. 'If they have $2,501 in revenue, they do have to pay taxes on that full amount,' he said. If adopted upon second reading on June 17, the changes will take effect at the July 1 start of the new fiscal year.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Morgantown considering joining the county primary ballot in 2030
May 23—MORGANTOWN — The city of Morgantown is plotting its course toward compliance with the newly implemented state law regarding municipal elections. Senate Bill 50 — passed during the most recent legislative session and signed into law by Gov. Patrick Morrisey — requires municipalities to align their respective elections with either the statewide primary or general elections held in May or November of even-numbered years, respectively. The state is requiring all municipalities to be in compliance by the end of 2030. While it's difficult to know exactly how many municipalities are already on a state election schedule, there are at least 104 that aren't. According to Secretary of State Kris Warner's office, that's how many municipalities are scheduled to hold elections in 2025. Morgantown and Granville are among that number. Morgantown held an election April 29. Granville will hold its final standalone election June 10. Granville residents voted 270-47 in favor of moving in line with the county's primary as part of a ballot measure in November. The winners of Granville's June election — every race is unopposed — will serve a one-year term. The seats will be back up for election with the traditional two-year term as part of the county-run primary ballot in May 2026. As Morgantown City Council members serve staggered, four-year terms, the transition requires a little more runway to launch. As part of its upcoming committee of the whole agenda, the body is expected to get a first public look at a plan to make that switch, which will require an amendment to the city's charter. According to the proposed charter change, the April 2027 city election for council's 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th wards would be for three-year terms. Likewise, the April 2029 election for the 2nd, 4th and 6th wards would be for three-year terms. Under this plan, all Morgantown City Council elections would be for full, four-year terms, held on the date of the statewide May primary election and administered by the Monongalia County starting in May 2030. Star City and Westover have both already moved onto the county's primary ballot.
