MORGANTOWN — It appears as if Morgantown residents will get an opportunity to vote on a change to the city’s charter that would double the length of council terms.
During Tuesday night’s committee of the whole session, council asked city administration to bring back an ordinance that would change council terms from two to four years and stagger elections so that either three or four members are up for reelection every two years.
Based on comments offered Tuesday, the city would continue to hold its election in April of odd numbered years, independent of county, state and federal races.
If council were to opt to move forward with the ordinance altering the city’s charter, it would need to go before the city’s voters either during the next regular city election — April 2021 — or in a special election, which could be held during the November general election with permission from the Monongalia County Clerk’s office.
Morgantown is the only major city in West Virginia with two-year council terms.
The short turnaround and potential for all seven members to be voted out every two years has been identified as a deterrent in attracting city managers.
It also represents a short window for new councilors, who often need that first year or so to get up to speed.
“As one of the newer council members, the two-year terms, there’s a one year learning curve. Then you’re thinking of running again in another year. It’s quick,” Councilor Dave Harshbarger said. “Four year terms would give us more time to see things through.”
Also on Tuesday, council opted to form a special committee aimed at working with the city manager’s office, the Morgantown Human Rights Commission, the Morgantown/Kingwood NAACP and other groups to create a type of citizen’s police oversight board.
The move came after a lengthy discussion, portions of which were unintelligible due to the audio quality of council’s remote meetings.
Mayor Bill Kawecki, Deputy Mayor Rachel Fetty and Councilor Zack Cruze will be council’s representatives on the body. The mayor is always an ex-officio member of such committees.
Council heard from Jerry Carr, president of the Morgantown/Kingwood Branch of the NAACP.
“I’m telling you, and I can’t express enough, it’s important that we do something with this moment,” Carr said of the national focus on race and policing in the wake of the George Floyd’s death at the hands of the Minneapolis Police in May.
Interim City Manager Emily Muzzarelli said she would report back to council during its July 21 meeting with an update on the committee.
Earlier in the meeting, council heard from Interim Police Chief Eric Powell regarding the Morgantown Police Department’s standard procedures as it pertains to crowd control.
Council also heard from outgoing Chief Ed Preston, who gave the city his letter of resignation in May in an effort to reduce COVID-19 budget impacts on MPD personnel.
Tuesday was Preston’s last day after more than nine years as chief.
Council read a proclamation in his honor before Preston offered brief remarks.
“I think Emily [Muzzarelli] has come to realize here the last several weeks that the hundreds of policies and procedures that we have, they’re all best practices,” Preston said. “Don’t get caught up in politics. Pay attention to what’s going on.”
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