MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — City Council has tabled a proposed ordinance that would reshape the Morgantown Utility Board by a 4-3 vote after an intense debate Tuesday night.
Councilor Brian Butcher made a motion to table, that was seconded by Deputy Mayor Danielle Trumble, to reconsider the provision that would add a member of city council to the MUB Board of Directors and the city manager as a non-voting member. Butcher said he also wanted to revisit the provision requiring city council approval for MUB projects valued over $1 million.
The debate that led up to the vote to table included an option from Monongalia County Commission President Tom Bloom to propose a board made up of a blend of city and county elected leaders. Bloom also raised questions about the dollar limit for project approval and pointed out that many projects valued over $1 million have been approved outside the city limits. MUB Board Chairman J. T. Straface presented projects that would have required city council approval in the county including Mountaintop Beverage utility upgrades, WestRidge and Mylan Park developments and University Towne Center.
Straface went on to point out problems with getting city cooperation to complete projects like the sewer line replacement in White Park. Straface provided email documentation showing eight contacts over nine months beginning last December with city officials to reach an agreement to complete the project.
“MUB is sensitive to the White Park concerns and therefore provided substantial advance notice of the project to all noted including Deputy Mayor Trumble, BOPARC Executive Director Melissa Wiles, City Manager Kim Haws and other cut staff,” Straface said.
The White Park sewer line project was approved last month, the 1,000-feet of pipe will be replaced early next year.
During those negotiations, MUB, the county commission and the city had been negotiating the Popenoe Run sewer improvements. The city and county each pledged $1 million each to upgrade the system following two major flooding events in the summer of 2021.
“In a meeting held at the city of Morgantown office on July 19, 2022 Mayor Jenny Selin stated to MUB staff and a few board members in attendance that city grant funds would not be provided to MUB unless, and until an agreement was signed permitting recreation at the Flegal Reservoir and Dam,” Straface said.
Straface said by that meeting the MUB board made the decision to move forward with the project citing the need and benefit to the community.
Bloom offered an option that would add members of city council and county commission to the board to adequately represent all rate payers. Bloom also expressed concern about the potential negative effect on economic development following the Popenoe Run negotiations.
“That really worries us, if they’re asking for leverage on a small project what do you think they would do with Mountaintop and WestRidge,” Bloom said. “That’s worries me and it’s why we don’t want them involved.”
Mayor Jenny Selin insisted the project approval portion of the ordinance is nothing new and should not be construed as a power grab.
“This proposed ordinance just defines expectations for what is outside the ordinary course of business,” Selin said. “It does not add any oversight authority, it is the same approval that used to be required by the Public Service Commission issuing a certificate of convenience and necessity.”
Butcher acknowledged the two sides communicate, but said their interaction was ineffective and unhelpful at times.
“So, I don’t think it’s necessarily about communication, I think it’s about fostering a working relationship that works instead of being antagonistic toward one another,” Butcher said.
Butcher also clarified the importance of representing all the rate payers and an interest in supporting the Bloom amendment.
“I do worry about what, in particular what Tom was talking about, in representing rate payers which I do believe the appointments do that,” Bloom said. “I don’t think it’s a terrible compromise.”
One option city council has is to wait for the Straface term to expire at the end of October to nominate a council person.
“After 20 years of dedicated service to the MUB board and 12 being the chairman I fully expect to be reappointed to the board,” Straface said.
During the debate Selin and City Manager Kim Haws said a council member had served on the board in the past with no issues. Monongalia Magistrate and former Morgantown City Council member Ron Bane acknowledged that while he served on the MUB board, he consistently had to ease concerns over conflicts of interest and thought that characterization was inaccurate.