MORGANTOWN — Challenge accepted.
The Morgantown City Council postponed a vote on the controversial $5.2 million purchase of the 40-acre Haymaker Forest after nearly four hours of public outcry Tuesday (June 19) night.
Councilor Barry Wendell had challenged opponents who don’t typically attend meetings, but this time they packed City Hall, spilling from the chamber into the lobby.
Some 47 residents addressed the council, only eight speaking in favor of the purchase. The majority mocked a proposal to spend $5.2 million on land valued at only $2.5 million by an appraisal released hours earlier.
“They bemoan the fact that there’s not enough money in the budget to do the basic things like keep the parks functional,” said Adam Rosefsky. “Yet now you want to spend an additional $5.2 million without new sources of revenue? That is delusional.”
The consensus boiled down to green space is good, but not at the risk of dramatically overpaying for it.
A stream of residents balked at suggestions the funds could come from passing a future levy referendum, hiking the user fee enacted in 2015 or selling off other city property.
“The city should not spend money it doesn’t have,” said resident Evelyn Dale. “Paying twice what the land is worth? You guys should not even be considering a price like that.”
Even the Morgantown fire chief weighed in. Mark Caravasos advised prioritizing fire station repairs, rescue vehicles and under-funded pensions.
“The city council wants to commit funds to a non-critical piece of infrastructure which is located outside the city limits, while current infrastructure that the city relies on for basic operations is in dire need of upgrades,” Caravasos said. “I am certain the city can better use the funds the council would want to appropriate for the Haymaker woods area.”
Caravasos warned the federal grant that led to hiring 12 firefighters expires after three years.
City Manager Paul Brake said his recommendation to postpone rather than table the matter would give city administration time to negotiate with the seller, ALP, Inc. Tabling the issue would have put it on council’s next regular meeting agenda.
Council voted 5-1 to postpone the matter. Deputy Mayor Mark Brazaitis voted in the minority. Councilor Jenny Selin was not present.
Brake said the speed at which the city has moved to secure the land was triggered by information that as many as 140 townhouses and 60 single-family residences could be developed on the property.
He explained that depending on how negotiations go with the seller, the city could cover the cost of the land out of its capital escrow account, basically one-time revenue like business and occupation construction taxes.
“We do have reserves to make initial payments on this, and depending on what’s negotiated out of this, it could be funded solely out of the B&O construction tax only, and not need a tax levy,” Brake said, cautioning that “the landowner is dictating the time frame.”
Christine Wang broke with councilors she supported in the past election, upset by comments they made in defense of the land deal:
“I am appalled by your arrogant attitudes, your condescending tones, that you know what is best for all of us, and that no matter what we say you are voting for this outrageous purchase price.”
Ultimately there was no voting, with the measure delayed.
“How often has this room been full?” said Roark Sizemore, Wang’s son. “You obviously did something to piss people off.”
