MORGANTOWN — Morgantown City Councilor Danielle Trumble called on her colleagues Tuesday to support a subcommittee to review the city’s founding document.
“I think it’s time for us as a council to start a charter review subcommittee and evaluate the needs of our community as it is currently … and talk about what the people expect from us and what the people want to see us do,” she said.
Trumble said a number of questions were raised during the most recent council election, particularly about the city’s standalone elections and at-large voting process.
Both Westover and Star City have recently moved their standalone municipal elections in-line with the county’s May primary.
“Maybe we make changes and maybe we don’t, but I think it’s time to have that conversation and discuss our election dates and I would respectfully ask to be included on that initiative,” she said, later adding, “It’s time to open it up.”
In other news, council passed on first reading zoning text amendments limiting where firearms can be sold in the city.
The amendments define terms like “firearm” and “antique firearms.” They also define the new “firearms retail establishment” use and limit that use to B-5 (shopping center) by right and B-2 (service business) by conditional use, meaning it would need a vote and public hearing before the city’s board of zoning appeals.
The application for zoning code changes was filed last August by Protect Morgantown, the community group that successfully pressured developer Hardy World to void a lease with firearms retailer Big Daddy Guns for The Deck development, at 1050 University Ave., which falls in a B-4 (general business) zoning district in the city’s downtown.
All existing firearms retail establishments will be “grandfathered in” under the existing code.
Also on Tuesday, council heard from MaryAnn Folz, who said she hopes to work with the city and members of council as a member of the Monongalia County Commission.
“I’ve seen things here and I’m like, ‘You know, we could be doing better. We really can.’” she said. “And so, I’m going to run for county commission next year … against, you know, the god of this town. We all know who he is.”
Current Commission President Tom Bloom is up for reelection in 2024.
Lastly, council appointed Deputy Mayor Joe Abu-Ghannam to represent the city at Thursday’s meeting to select the Region 4 representative to the West Virginia First Foundation.
