MORGANTOWN — Morgantown City Council will cast a vote nearly four months in the making next week when it decides whether the Morgantown Utility Board can run a gravity-fed raw water pipeline through White Park.
Discussion of the issue was taken up during Tuesday’s committee of the whole session.
While not all members of council gave a definitive indication of which way they’re leaning, at least three stated outright that while they would prefer the park not be disturbed, they will support the modified version of Route 3 given the totality of the circumstances.
Basically, in order for the pipe to be gravity fed and supply water at the needed rate from the new Cobun Creek reservoir currently under construction, it has to run through the park.
Routing around the park along Mississippi Street would substantially increase project costs and force the decision to either accept reduced flow rates from the new secondary source reservoir or build a pumping station, likely resulting in rate increases according to MUB.
A map of the modified Route 3 is available for viewing at mub.org/waterline under the link “Commercial Land Alternative Waterline Route.”
During Tuesday’s meeting, MUB General Manager Tim Ball said the utility finalized right of way agreements earlier that day with a neighboring property owner that will allow MUB to run about 600 feet of the 30-inch pipe out of the park and across private property — thus the “modified” or “alternative” designation for Route 3, about 3,000 feet of which will still need to be cleared through park property.
This Route 3 alternative is the same route that received a 5-1 vote of support, with one abstention, on Monday from the Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners, which manages the park property on behalf of the city.
Deputy Mayor Rachel Fetty, who also serves on BOPARC, was the abstention. She said MUB has made a number of verbal commitments throughout this process and her support for the modified Route 3 will hinge on the licensing agreement drawn up by the city with the input of BOPARC and other stakeholder groups.
City Attorney Ryan Simonton said that agreement will likely not be ready for next Tuesday’s regular meeting.
This issue has been ongoing since MUB abandoned its original planned route along the park’s existing trail in early May due to public outcry over impacts to hundreds of mature trees and the park overall.
This new route runs on the opposite side of the existing Cobun Creek reservoir.
MUB has agreed to plant two trees for every one it removes from the park and intends to leave behind a new walking trail as well as a pedestrian bridge and trail connector.
In other city news, Joe Morris, chairperson of the Urban Landscape Commission, was on hand to brief council on an overhaul of the city’s gift and memorial policy.
“The long and short of it is, I feel like the current policy does not lay out a clear process or spell our clear criteria,” Morris said. “Even the portions where it is clear in process, it’s misleading.”
The new policy lays out a three-step process that begins when someone presents a donation proposal to the city.
After an initial review by the city manager for glaring “red flags” a formal review process will begin by the appropriate oversight body within the city depending on the nature and location of the proposed gift.
Ultimately, the decision to accept or deny any gift will be made by the city manager.
