Morgantown City Manager’s last day announced

If all goes according to plan, Morgantown City Manager Paul Brake’s last day on the job will be May 14.

The naming and official appointment of Morgantown’s interim city manager is expected to be presented to city council during its April 21 regular meeting, according to Communications Manager Andrew Stacy.

Brake received a conditional offer of employment from the Royal Oak, Mich., City Commission on March 16. He is in the process of working out an employment agreement with the city commission.

Stacy said the Royal Oak City Commission is planning on having the agreement presented at its next regular meeting on April 13. If this is approved, Brake will submit his letter of resignation the following day.

The terms of his employment in Morgantown mandates a 30-day notice, tentatively setting Brake’s last day as May 14.

Royal Oak is a suburb of Detroit with a population of about 59,000, a general fund budget of about $70 million and more than 300 full-time employees.

In other city news, council plans to take up an ordinance recently passed by the West Virginia Legislature that would allow the city or a third party to take receivership of a property if it is determined the property is salvageable, but repairs are needed due to the risk of fire, structural instability or nuisance issues and the property owner cannot be located.

“It would allow the code enforcement agency to proceed in the city’s municipal court to obtain an order designating either the city or another party as the receiver so that it can make the necessary improvements to make the structure safe,” City Attorney Ryan Simonton explained.

The property owner would be required to pay for the costs of repairing, altering, or improving, or of vacating and closing, removing or demolishing any dwelling or building.

Lastly, council asked Simonton to work with the city’s code enforcement office to further narrow an ordinance that would implement optional penalties outlined in West Virginia Building Code.

As originally presented, the law would allow a fine up to $500 and up to 30 days imprisonment for building code violations.

Council asked Simonton to narrow the language to clarify what types of violations would warrant such punishment and when they would be used.

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