MORGANTOWN — Morgantown Firefighters IAFF Local 313 has weighed in on a potential charter change going before the city’s voters next month.
The change in question would allow the city manager to live outside the city with city council’s permission.
Currently, the charter says the city manager doesn’t have to be a city resident at the time of appointment, but “must reside in the city while in office.”
Under the proposed change, the manager “may reside outside the City while in office only with the approval of Council.”
In a message shared via a IAFF Local 313 social media page, the union states its members are “adamantly opposed” to the change.
“The city manager, as a policy maker, should have a vested interest in the community they serve and personally experience both the positives and negatives occurring within the community to better understand the current needs,” the statement reads. “We believe it would be difficult to envision and implement improvements if detriments are never realized.”
The union is asking voters to defeat the charter amendment at the ballot box, noting the city manager is the highest attainable position within city administration and, as such, is ultimately responsible for city operations.
“We, Local 313, believe it has always been and remains the best practice for the city manager to reside within the community affected by these policies and decisions.”
Morgantown City Council narrowly supported the proposed amendment. The body voted 6-1 in support of the change on first reading, but split 4-3 when the matter came back for second reading in adoption.
Councilor Brian Butcher voted against the change both times. He was joined by Louise Michael and Danielle Trumble on second reading.
However, because a city resident filed a written objection to the charter change, council was left to either abandon the matter or put it before the city’s voters.
While the majority of council supported the flexibility to allow a manager to live beyond the city’s boundaries, members were unanimous in their belief that the city’s top executive should not only live within the city but be active in the community.
“I think we all agree we want someone who is an integral part of our community, whether they live beyond the line or not,” Mayor Joe Abu-Ghannam said at the time.
The charter’s residency requirement took center stage in September 2022 when council was forced to investigate “concerns” about whether former City Manager Kim Haws was living in Morgantown.
A short time later, it was explained that guidelines had been added to Haws’ contract spelling out council’s expectations regarding residency.
Haws retired in December after four years with the city. That same month, council hired North Carolina-based Raftelis to conduct a national recruitment effort to fill the opening.
As of late last week, Communications Director Brad Riffee said the city had no updates to provide regarding the search.
Engineering and Public Works Director Damien Davis is currently serving as interim manager.
Assistant City Manager Emily Muzzarelli, who’s been with the city since July 2018 and has served as interim manager in the past, does not live in the city.
Muzzarelli went on family leave around the same time as Haws’ retirement.
