Survey response: Council-manager best
I prefer a council-manager system. The councilors in Morgantown are voted upon city-wide, and they reflect the will of the people who vote for them. They can tell the city manager what they want, based on the needs of constituents, without outside influence. The manager can come up with ideas for the council, based on professional experience and good management practices. Ultimately, decisions belong to the council, including hiring the city manager.
“City manager” is a profession. A mayor is elected in a popularity contest, easily influenced by groups outside the city. When Paul Brake was city manager, he suggested an ambitious plan to expand Morgantown’s borders. The council agreed to it but was met by a barrage of criticism led by developers who didn’t want zoning laws, landlords afraid the council would impose rent control and homeowner groups. The proposed expansion didn’t happen.
Morgantown is a unique place in Monongalia County, and I hope it stays that way. It would have been good to expand the boundaries and make a more diverse city, but that didn’t happen.
Under the current system, the mayor is selected by the council. The mayor can be the face of the city and can run meetings. The councilors and the city manager can come up with ideas for the city, and council can accept ideas from the public.
Since 2017, the council has been attentive to the needs of the city, working together without rancor to do what is best for Morgantown. I would not want to see that changed.
Barry Wendell
Morgantown
Radical conservative environmentalism?
Something new has to happen. In order to alter our current course, which has led and is leading to environmental devastation, we need nearly everyone to be involved. We need all hands on deck. This means that, in addition to a growing radical progressive environmental movement, we need a radical conservative environmental movement.
There is nothing impossible about radical conservative environmentalism. Yes, much of current conservative leadership is heading full speed toward further destruction, but there is no reason that this has to be so.
Our current governor and U.S. senators are not going to lead a radical environmental movement, because they are all living off the sale of fossil fuels. Their motivation appears to be mostly greed. And greed is not a conservative value. Traditionally, greed is a vice that needs to be discouraged or even punished. So they are not good leaders for conservatism in any case.
Other leaders in the current conservative world are climate deniers and make all sorts of unscientific claims. This is not conservative either — this is just stupid. And stupidity is not a conservative value. There is an intelligent conservative position that needs to be part of the discussion, however unlikely it currently seems.
So we need new leaders. We need leaders who understand the need to conserve what is of value in our heritage and our traditions. And we need those leaders to be guided by the best of our traditions, not the worst of them. We need these leaders to articulate a radical conservative environmentalism, because it will be impossible to conserve our society in the midst of environmental devastation.
Wes Bergen
Morgantown
Insulting to refer to resurrection as a ‘tale’
The Easter Sunday editorial about the lessons of spring described some of the true joys spring weather brings.
It went on to mention some of the holidays being celebrated: “Passover (a rebirth from slavery into freedom) or Ramadan (a time of spiritual growth) or Easter (a tale of resurrection).”
I am appalled. Describing Easter as a tale denigrates Christianity to the level of myth. The resurrection of Jesus is the very foundation of the Christian faith. It is the major distinction that makes us unique among other religions.
If you believe the resurrection story is a tale, you are entitled to your opinion, but it is just that, an opinion. I consider it an insult to my personal faith and that of every true believer. You must be aware that millions (perhaps billions) of people for over 2,000 years have based their very lives on this “tale.” I find it curious that you did not describe Passover or Ramadan as tales.
According to Wikipedia, over 2.7 million people are converting to Christianity each year, many from Asia and the Middle East. Are they being deceived by a tale? I think not.
My prayer for you is that you will one day be confronted by the resurrected Jesus. God bless you.
Chuck Maggio
Morgantown
Joe Biden is not what the country needs
I hope I get this right. Joe Biden is running for president again in 2024. Do the American people really want Biden to be president for four more years? I think not and hope not, because if he does become our president again, America will be totally destroyed.
You think things are bad now, just wait another five years. We need a president who will do what’s best for America — bringing back industries to America from other countries, put our people back to work manufacturing our own products that we depend on that other countries make for us and quit selling American properties to China, Japan and other countries who don’t care one bit about the American people.
This is America. We used to be proud of working hard and making things for ourselves. Have we become that lazy and don’t care anymore? This is not the American way.
All I know is that we need no more Joe Biden. We have to do better for ourselves and our future generations, and Joe Biden is not the way and anybody that votes for Joe Biden is not nuts — they are not seeing the big picture. Step back and take a good hard look at America, then tell me that you like what you see. I know I don’t.
Ralph Correll
Morgantown
Thanks to DOT, Pike potholes all fixed
The continuing saga of our taxes at work and the pothole population on the Kingwood Pike’s Monongalia County side: They are all gone. Every single one!
The potholes in both lanes have been repaired with asphalt and in ways that look like the repairs will hold a while.
I was extra pleased about that, knowing that now all of us will be able to enjoy the gorgeous redbuds in bloom along the road instead of focusing on ugly potholes and swerving into the other lane, when possible, to avoid the worst ones.
My thanks to our Department of Transportation workers. The Pike is quite a challenge for drivers and maintenance!
If only the same good things could be said for the Hogback Turn and Brockway Avenue in Morgantown, as well as Holland Avenue in Westover. There are so many humps and bumps you can’t count them all, but you sure get to feel them.
Deb Miller
Reedsville
