[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6247724,"mediaKeyId","3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa","parentId",3212752,"title","Council adopts budget revisions: sales-tax reconciliation, pension deposits, fire capital transfers and smaller reimbursements","audioSeconds",1516,"startMs",5967000,"endMs",7483000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa&start=5967&end=7483","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa/thumbnail_5967000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6247724/Morgantown/Monongalia-County/West-Virginia/Council-adopts-budget-revisions-sales-tax-reconciliation-pension-deposits-fire-capital-transfers-and-smaller-reimbursements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247724-5de02c32626a4ec47972cf641e897da5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172206&Signature=dqXKCY9a7v-tE9dsUSZu9xfm03Bb-lgGM9v8QW9NGGmvMw9~2sdkLGEOCPxOmddxRio9XXnoruRfb89iL12skSj2SjOgKpfT469Zlem6zHtx33OnXoT8vwyd8oXv8p6DK~EPQNqJ9hA3g9AEHTEVS2ER1juHcD4XuVwMCzjH17rgZhsAvKmEBC8oxmasDjAnTVhR48acgpedEDHK83gA16Qs71zNBkqBqAHpCz9cG~b7W-A5OK9QRk--h9y6~8H9F9t6LppKIIVJYKEhgdiMkzdIz2FuOYmTkEaiLuHIeqLFiWARk3Y3Fy7g1xg2L19oJs6CDhKruZASQT9gXmz3tw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Morgantown, WV","date","2025-05-07T13:42:22Z","article","The Morgantown City Council on Tuesday adopted a set of budget amendments covering municipal sales-and-use-tax reconciliations, pension deposits, capital transfers for the fire department, settlement receipts and reimbursements.

John Ferguson, finance director, presented the package, describing several housekeeping items and policy-directed allocations. The city reconciled its municipal sales-and-use-tax receipts for fiscal 2025 and reported actual revenue of $10,090,694.51 versus an original budgeted amount of $9,600,000, an increase of roughly $490,695. Ferguson said the city distributed the statutory allocations (25% to Park/Bue Park, 25% to pension liability reduction split between police and fire, 25% to capital escrow, 25% to the general fund) and that the additional receipts were allocated to cover near-term obligations and contingency lines.

Ferguson described immediate pension deposits carried out under the council’s recently adopted compromise plan: each police and fire pension fund received $647,943.38 in the third and fourth quarter distributions; those deposits were placed into investment accounts the following day, Ferguson said, to begin earning returns and reduce the city’s amortized unfunded liability.

The council also approved moving available operating budget from the fire department into its capital escrow fund to cover electronic door locks at three fire stations. Ferguson said the transfer—drawn from multiple surplus line items in the fire operating budget—totaled $44,003.61 and would be used to install a consistent, IT-serviceable door-lock system across stations.

Other items in the revision included receipt and reallocation of a $25,000 settlement payment from national litigation involving the drug Lipitor; Ferguson said that amount will be directed to the city’s life-and-health fund to offset past prescription spend. The city also recorded asbestos-sampling reimbursements totaling $7,181 from the state program and a $745 third-party reimbursement, and accounted for a prior-year reimbursement from MUB related to the Coburn Creek pedestrian bridge project.

Council approved the general-fund and capital-escrow revisions and the municipal sales-tax reconciliation on a 7-0 roll call. Ferguson and councilors described the changes as primarily timing and accounting reconciliations plus targeted transfers to capital projects and pension accounts.

Councilors asked whether transfers would leave operating accounts short; Ferguson said he had reviewed projections and did not expect budget shortfalls through year end.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Morgantown City Council - May 6, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Morgantown City Council on Tuesday adopted a set of budget amendments covering municipal sales-and-use-tax reconciliations, pension deposits, capital transfers for the fire department, settlement receipts and reimbursements.","taxTitle","Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia","taxId",2635,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6247729,"Council adopts updated electronic-meetings policy incorporating state guidance",230,4341000,4571000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa&start=4341&end=4571","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa/thumbnail_4341000.jpg","/articles/6247729/Morgantown/Monongalia-County/West-Virginia/Council-adopts-updated-electronic-meetings-policy-incorporating-state-guidance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247729-f977b14fdc5003c773ffaef6294b4b0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172206&Signature=Ht2k28NS9SsexybYHUAYry64CTz9EhknUbPgDqLOiOjYeBq0NCgmzn-EaPDxg2Sjd0bPsUDL931kW3UhJSleATDXofOqNCAqAoL3~MyJ6ESImTwKrrft2Qg9cXVRthF-cdmp1o7Gejl7IsJgXRbnluDgVeS2UenghqovijRa4r56utIpTFZ0XejynxTAb-Xpkpj-s2DCg7RZntT0NdaW-BW6OFqtmpTTL6Rmu1hiksZWikA480gUN3ZTqgkU07LR6NIoYpMxJAbGx82~A8XgFT5ZPYsAjb5ZZ3MkVicM~3sUU15exi~QBULdaPpgMIPLALcWvWi9YQY1vIH5vjLFWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Morgantown City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to adopt an updated electronic meetings policy that incorporates recent state law guidance and advisory opinions from the ethics commission.

The policy applies only to meetings conducted without a physical meeting location and is intended to clarify procedures for notice, public access and comment when a meeting is fully remote, the city attorney told council during a presentation on the update.

The city attorney explained the policy “applies to all city boards and commissions as well as council and provides for meetings that are conducted only by electronic means,” noting the update reflects state law changes and “provides an additional method for people who would like to make public comment” at those meetings.

Councilors asked whether the update covers hybrid meetings where members participate remotely but the public is physically present; the attorney said those situations are covered by the city’s general meeting rules, not this supplement. The adopted policy requires the meeting agenda to state the participation method and to include a video-conference link or call-in number when a meeting will be held entirely by electronic means.

A councilor asked about notice requirements; the attorney said notice is governed by the council’s meeting rules and that posting at City Hall plus the city website are standard options. The attorney also said the policy does not change notice norms established elsewhere in the city rules.

Councilor action: a motion to approve the update carried on a 7-0 roll call.

Councilors said the measure should make virtual-only meetings more transparent and provide an explicit route for residents to participate when no physical meeting space is available.","Morgantown City Council adopted updates to its electronic meetings policy to align with recent state guidance and ethics commission advisory opinions; the policy applies only to meetings without a physical location and requires conference links be on the agenda.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6247733,"Public commenters urge housing solutions after Morgantown vote preserved camping ordinance",4542,3391000,7933000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa&start=3391&end=7933","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa/thumbnail_3391000.jpg","/articles/6247733/Morgantown/Monongalia-County/West-Virginia/Public-commenters-urge-housing-solutions-after-Morgantown-vote-preserved-camping-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247733-dbfe1b0703df740561045c8a4b2a16de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172206&Signature=X0nLlCE~GYO9taXQ15y25TtezjuSfA~1Cge~2t5gNtKoRTVb7m9UCC8i7G0~WemO-p2sTknfNlC2ckXZIX6wZ544oB5MbjX0YlRCvv4kkZtX85ZTznS6nm9bZQ27E~1T-AKhdoi6wM4COE7NL4s44WCU1rnCz9oXTQ3VijrqxD4kW7eDCtwf7tbA9EAs5Wtxcjt1rbwDSL-DIkV9utD~ToPohJulgJwc-T-mHcNB45PN-WTwQZIa0fyL8tXl558lkQd9p-SibmTT~a1dmksRMb-ZvkGbD9sG-PLZ~n8UhQyKotfJlT4akdUMhh4HJqSpzHO~7QYVrFgxe6ZVl2U1Wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Voters in Morgantown rejected a ballot measure to repeal the city’s camping ordinance, and at Tuesday’s City Council meeting public commenters urged the council and community to focus on housing, expanded shelter and services rather than criminalization.

The City Clerk reported election returns at the meeting: 986 votes were cast against repealing the ordinance and 905 in favor. Council formally declared the election results as part of its canvass of the municipal election.

Multiple speakers used the public-comment period to press for alternative approaches. Paige Rearing, a Greenmont resident and community organizer, described driving four people to housing on a rainy Sunday night and said criminalizing camping does not address immediate needs. “I didn't just throw money at them and call it a day. I put myself in an admittedly risky situation because there is action behind my words, and there's authenticity to my values,” Rearing said, urging officials and neighbors to offer humane assistance.

Lindsay Jacobs, a resident of Woodburn, told the council the community’s earlier policy discussions focused on creating short-, mid- and long-term shelter capacity and preventing eviction. “We don't have a way to get them back into shelter because we don't have enough shelter,” Jacobs said, noting Grama Shelter’s capacity had fallen to 19 beds and that Rainbow House was near full.

A third commenter pointed to the margin in the election and urged caution: the measure’s outcome, the speaker said, turned on roughly 80 votes and should prompt the council to revisit policy choices. The commenter described concerns that camping bans implemented elsewhere produce only temporary gains and can worsen barriers to emergency and permanent housing.

Advocates at the meeting said they will continue organizing, including know-your-rights trainings and legal support if enforcement actions raise constitutional concerns. Several speakers, including representatives of advocacy groups, said they plan to press councilors to pair any public-safety measures with investments in shelter, storage, low-barrier services and affordable housing.

City staff and councilors did not announce immediate policy changes at Tuesday’s meeting; several council members said they expect continued public dialogue and potential future amendments.

The camping ordinance itself is recorded in city code as ordinance 2024-29 (new article 11-57), and the clerk said the results mean that ordinance remains in force until and unless council takes later action or the courts act.","After voters declined to repeal the city camping ordinance, public commenters urged more shelter, storage and housing resources, and said the narrow margin means council should revisit solutions; speakers described direct aid and shelter gaps at local providers.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6247738,"Council approves first reading to transfer 19 city parcels to Land Reuse Agency for Lower Greenmont work",873,4671000,5544000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa&start=4671&end=5544","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa/thumbnail_4671000.jpg","/articles/6247738/Morgantown/Monongalia-County/West-Virginia/Council-approves-first-reading-to-transfer-19-city-parcels-to-Land-Reuse-Agency-for-Lower-Greenmont-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247738-b16146081e42923f4f5caf7bf343a7fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172206&Signature=ANlKTdJaNZh4QlWj0-KBC2XJ7lpfkVt9sXBuITUPDH6S5s5ggOs2zi3CmlYIc0g5fMNKDllkOptk~CBMlzYPQAph8f02TZZXQr0oKCNHASK6~Kio~zauZhaexxSmm8DL5zT~cUi9vgslWJ4XU72jlTP5UGha2-90Z0BNf1RAWofsIBeGKznCVWokWAUT1VosTI2unUAW7LZuNUV6Aco7TAIfROjcZ4bu2kGAg2gQdRZTn0LJENcTj5QvgoM5jCfpJoEg5~bgmx8dHV8DV~bCp1Jhlm4wnXEB--HR~JJrxRKMstz2xKE-HpPN5ymTcTBhz65xVTa1ofr4FuMbOuPgAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Morgantown City Council on Tuesday approved on first reading an ordinance to transfer 19 underused city-owned parcels to the Morgantown Land Reuse and Preservation Agency, a step the agency says is intended to assemble contiguous lots for green space and future housing in Lower Greenmont.

The move matters because the agency has been working to assemble small, scattered parcels so developers or neighborhood leaders can create compact projects; council members approved the first reading by a 7-0 roll call vote and sent the ordinance to second reading.

Jessica McDonald, who identified herself as a representative of the Land Reuse and Preservation Agency, told the council the agency was created by ordinance in February 2018 and summarized the board’s priorities. “The mission is to pursue the acquisition, management, and disposition of property that’s suitable for conservation, water quality protection, public space, affordable housing, and commercial uses,” McDonald said. She described a two-part approach in Lower Greenmont: a triangular set of parcels near Deckers Creek for green space and a contiguous block assembled for potential housing.

McDonald said the agency has most of the area under contract and anticipates accumulating 24 parcels totaling about 2.4 acres “for just a little bit over a million dollars.” She said the city previously allocated about $600,000 in ARPA funds toward addressing blight in Lower Greenmont and that the agency’s goal is to use that money and assembled land to attract developers and preserve green space.

The agency described several programs it plans to pursue, including a side-lot program to sell small lots to adjacent homeowners, a targeted property-donation campaign aimed at owners of vacant buildings with large liens, and efforts to flip underused parcels back onto the tax rolls. McDonald also said the agency is coordinating with Urban Design Ventures and has consulted with other West Virginia land-reuse programs in Charleston and Nitro for models and technical assistance.

Councilors asked about next steps and funding. McDonald and council members emphasized that the agency is not self-sustaining and will need city project-by-project funding or designation of existing revenue streams to operate at scale. Councilors also asked the agency to coordinate neighborhood outreach on design ideas for any housing or park projects.

Mayor Joe Abugano called for the ordinance’s second reading; the council agreed to move it forward. The transfer now proceeds to a required second reading and any needed documentary corrections noted by staff.

The city will return to the transfer topic at the next meeting for final action and documentary cleanup identified during the first-reading packet review.","The Morgantown City Council voted 7-0 on first reading to transfer 19 underused city parcels to the Morgantown Land Reuse and Preservation Agency; agency members outlined plans to assemble roughly 24 parcels in Lower Greenmont for a mix of green space and housing using prior ARPA funds and donations.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6247719,"Council sets public hearing for TIF amendment and moves parcel transfer for Lower Marilla Park to second reading",0,4744000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa&start=4744&end=4744","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3212752-6649aff0a69786a1b7e1fdf108f0e8aa/thumbnail_4744000.jpg","/articles/6247719/Morgantown/Monongalia-County/West-Virginia/Council-sets-public-hearing-for-TIF-amendment-and-moves-parcel-transfer-for-Lower-Marilla-Park-to-second-reading","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247719-1a022b2a68132b0581a12f9a21608092/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172206&Signature=NTnEfWCYiKCgiMV-ZEEZ4~~4kUplC8ZZUHB3Qfc1an2SDtPgxXeiZ2KlcD8Oc6LjsB2djh9x~Oo0FXvtpB5Nyf8myB9gslHp7n5ypUxP13QQebUkU~wWK3sQ~KS4lqlxMLNhIFqiem4uzEjp~oVhuudiWhhp5RkHJ84c6z6b51Ju~UiNwB20bRbGX60k4CMAWSsmmph0NeMBotevkpyUvwBwN-xh47tcBOh7MthqCM~nKSDaYzgi6SDXbHOtyLlscKoqPjVUFiauDJBvLHB6INC2NzrnuFBBmGm62Vlu~4FOu0EPzRaldsW-EKztNxLBHLhKJEASvmcUvdpxpjblZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Morgantown City Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution to change the public hearing date to May 27 for a proposed amendment to Tax Increment Financing District No. 3 and advanced a separate ordinance to transfer a Building Commission parcel to the city so it can be consolidated into a single parcel used as security for financing the Lower Marilla Park project.

City attorneys said the public-hearing resolution is procedural: state law requires a noticed public hearing before the city may submit an amendment application to the state. The resolution postpones a previously scheduled hearing to ensure adequate public notice after staff received requests from people who had not seen the earlier posting.

City attorneys cited the statutory framework for TIF amendments in Chapter 7, Article 11B, Section 10A of the West Virginia Code and said council would hold the public hearing before any ordinance to amend the TIF boundary or extend the district’s termination date could be submitted for state approval.

Separately, staff described a transfer of property currently owned by the Morgantown Building Commission into city ownership; that parcel will be consolidated with other project parcels for the forthcoming Lower Marilla Park improvements and will serve as security for project financing. The Building Commission was scheduled to consider authorizing the transfer on May 13, staff said; council moved the ordinance to second reading so the commission’s action could occur before final council action.

Council approved the resolution to reschedule the TIF public hearing and advanced the Building Commission parcel transfer on unanimous 7-0 votes.","Council set a May 27 public hearing on a proposed amendment to Tax Increment Financing District No. 3 and approved first-reading transfer of a Building Commission parcel to the city to consolidate property for the Lower Marilla Park improvement project.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council adopts budget revisions: sales-tax reconciliation, pension deposits, fire capital transfers and smaller reimbursements

Council adopts updated electronic-meetings policy incorporating state guidance

Public commenters urge housing solutions after Morgantown vote preserved camping ordinance

Council approves first reading to transfer 19 city parcels to Land Reuse Agency for Lower Greenmont work

Council sets public hearing for TIF amendment and moves parcel transfer for Lower Marilla Park to second reading