MORGANTOWN — Incumbent Joe Abu-Ghannam and longtime Morgantown businessman James Giuliani have put their names forward to represent the city’s 1st Ward for the next four years.
This time around, the residents of the 1st Ward will help elect their representative. That’s not quite how things worked out last time.
Patrick Hathaway picked up 900 votes in an unopposed bid for the seat in 2021, then announced he was moving out of town before the new council was sworn in.
Of five candidates to interview for the vacancy, Abu-Ghannam was appointed by a unanimous vote of council on July 28, 2021.
Joe Abu-Ghannam
It’s been said that all politics are local.
Abu-Ghannam, 37, said that saying holds true in terms of how he sees his role as a member of Morgantown City Council.
“What I’ve learned is the biggest issues and the issues where you can have the most immediate impact, don’t really affect the majority of the people in the city. For instance, there was a tree taken down in my ward and it caught people off guard. Most of the people across the city were not aware of the situation, but for some it was the only situation that mattered at that time,” he said.
“When you are working on things like the city budget, it’s a process. It takes time. But issues like that, where I can communicate directly with people and get them answers relatively quickly, that’s what I enjoy.”
He said he’s proud of his efforts to help reorganize and energize the 1st Ward Neighborhood Association and is part of the effort to get signage in place commemorating the historic neighborhood.
As far as specific issues, Abu-Ghannam said he doesn’t necessarily have a list he wants to address. Rather, he said, he wants to focus on the relationship city government has with the people of Morgantown.
“I tell everyone this. I really do appreciate the group of people we have working for our city. I would really like to see that trust built so that people are proud of their city and recognize there is no one clear-cut solution for some of the things we’re facing,” he said. “I like to be the person who gets everyone to work together. I see myself as a collaborator and I see my role as someone who can help bring people together, and that honestly is my focus. I want to continue to build relationships and build trust.”
He said one area of focus for many in the 1st Ward is pedestrian access, noting he’s a strong proponent of city efforts to address sidewalks and other non-motorized connectors.
Abu-Ghannam said he’s been a Morgantown resident since he came to town for school in 2004. He’s lived in his 1st Ward home the last 10 years.
As a teacher and a coach at Morgantown High School, he said he brings an important, and often overlooked, perspective to city council.
“I’m heavily involved with our youth in that I see and hear what they’re experiencing in the city,” he said. “We want to create a safe environment for our kids and we want them to be proud of the city they grow up in.”
He said his major motivation for seeking another four years on council is to help improve the shared experience of Morgantown residents.
“I’m a strong believer in trusting the experts. I’m on these boards and commissions. I recognize I’m not the expert. I’m there to listen and communicate their thoughts with city council,” he said. “Just like I’m there to listen and communicate between the people of my neighborhood and the city.”
James Giuliani
“Guess what.”
If you know Giuliani, 65, you’re familiar with that phrase.
You probably also know you’re not really going to have to guess.
He’ll tell you.
“This election is critical. It’s critical because this city is at a tipping point. Just look around. We can’t grow as a city. Our downtown is dying right now. West Virginia University just announced they’re down by 5,000 students; it’s actually more like 6,000 if they were being honest. Our police officers and firefighters have said publicly they have no confidence in this city’s leadership,” Giuliani said.
“Is this what the people of Morgantown want? Is this what they go out and vote for? Oh, that’s right, they don’t vote in these elections. That’s how we got here.”
Giuliani said he’s been a resident of 1st Ward for 35 years, living in the Alexander Wade House, which was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1965.
He also noted that he went into business for himself in Morgantown at the age of 15.
In late 2020, the Monongalia County Development Authority, part of the Morgantown Area Partnership, purchased 10 contiguous acres of property surrounding Richwood Avenue from Giuliani and members of his family for $11.8 million.
Once that deal is finalized, Giuliani said he’ll have divested himself of his business dealings in the city.
He said reversing the toxic relationship that’s developed between city hall and the city’s firefighters and police officers must be a top priority.
“Right now you have a no-confidence vote against your city council and this administration. I’m going to work my ass off to have that taken off if I’m elected. I don’t want that hanging over my head. It’s embarrassing,” Giuliani said. “That has to be addressed.”
He went on to say that he doesn’t understand why Morgantown — as a relatively small city that’s home to a relatively large university — would abandon its town-gown efforts.
“Why can’t we be innovative and demonstrate what’s possible in a town-gown relationship? This is not new, but we have abandoned it. Look back years ago when we entered the Big 12, we engaged in a town-gown relationship, so it’s not like we need to reinvent the wheel,” Giuliani said.
“We have the Ascend space on University Avenue. It’s an incubator. We have a business school on Beechurst Avenue. It’s an incubator. If we can’t create synergy within our downtown to foster business, tech businesses or whatever they are, you have to ask why.”
He said the city has become too accustomed to sitting back and watching WVU and the county chase down development. He explained the city’s 1st Ward is realistically the only area where growth is possible, noting the city has already reached out to annex the property around the Hornbeck Road Walmart and Hazel’s House of Hope.
“I’m the only person running who can bring economic development and vitality to the city of Morgantown, if indeed I can do it. If it can be done, I’m the guy who will push it forward, with West Virginia University, the county, Granville, Star City, Westover,” he said. “We’ve got to work together.”
