MORGANTOWN — Morgantown City Council’s 7th Ward representative, Barry Wendell, said he’s pleased with the progress the city has made in the last two years and he’s hopeful voters will support him when they go to the polls on April 30.
Wendell is alone on the ballot in the 7th Ward, but faces a write-in challenge from Todd Stainbrook. Aaron Metz filed as a candidate in the ward but dropped out of the race in March after admitting some of the signatures on his nominating petition were fraudulent.
Wendell is seeking a second term after defeating Bill Graham 1,353 to 1,114 in 2017 to win the seat vacated by former councilor Nancy Ganz, who chose not to seek reelection.
“I think as a council we’ve worked really well together, especially considering all of the turmoil on the previous council,” Wendell said. “We don’t always agree on everything, but I feel like we get a lot done.”
He points to the creation of Morgantown’s new Health and Wellness Commission and the joint venture with WVU to become the first city/university tandem to achieve the prestigious Blue Zone health and wellness distinction as achievements of the current council.
He said there is also an increased focus on recreation and BOPARC through the efforts of council and the body is pushing for an increased focus on transparency, particularly in areas like the city’s finances.
“I think we’ve set a course for civility and for getting along and for making the city greener and more inclusive,” Wendell said. “I feel like we’ve made the city a better place.”
Among the issues coming up on council’s docket, Wendell said he’s looking forward to discussing the city’s annexation plans.
Earlier this month, a report showing the potential financial impact of annexing just over three square miles comprised of land at various points around the city was made public.
“Annexation is going to be a big thing coming up — that whole conversation about making the city bigger,” Wendell said. “There are a lot of areas adjacent to the city that are not getting adequate services. They don’t have things like zoning, so when things are built there is no requirement for features like sidewalks.”
He went on to say that he would like the city’s annexation plan to focus beyond the areas that are already developed, and include land for future growth, noting, “That’s really why I think the annexation isn’t going far enough by just looking at the areas that are already built up.”
Wendell said he would also like to see a renewed focus on High Street, specifically focusing on finding ways to rejuvenate existing amenities, like the historic Warner Theatre, which is currently vacant.
“That theatre has been vacant the whole time I’ve lived here, which is seven years. They’re showing movies at the Met, and they’re doing a lot of great things there, but I would like to see more original or interesting movies,” he said, explaining that the old art deco theatre would make a great art house cinema. “We’re a university town. I don’t understand why we couldn’t have something like that here.”
As for council’s working relationship with other areas stakeholders, Wendell said he would like to see the county contribute significantly to the city’s parks instead of investing so heavily in Mylan Park, which, he said, is “virtually inaccessible to a lot of people,” due to its location.
“The people in the city are county residents too. They represent us too as well as everyone outside the city, but some don’t pay as much for facilities like the swimming pools. That’s all paid for by the city, but people from all over the county use it,” Wendell said, adding that despite differences of opinion on certain issues, he’s always willing to work with the county, WVU or other entities as a member of council.
Wendell said he feels like any perceived disagreements are often blown out of proportion by social media.
“I think people get on social media and there’s a lot of bad stuff on there. We’ve been trolled pretty relentlessly by people who will just come up with anything. I really feel like we’re more cooperative than we’re given credit for because a lot of that comes from a very small group of people,” Wendell said. “You have a small group of people who want to start arguments. There is tension at times, but I don’t ever think it’s anything that can’t be worked through.”
