Morgantown Council approves FY2026 budget and multiple city measures in 5–0 votes

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown City Council on March 4 approved a set of major financial and administrative items, including the first reading of the city’s fiscal year 2026 general fund and coal severance budgets, a five‑year capital improvement plan and a capital escrow fund budget, while also taking downtown and facilities actions and adopting a charter language update.

The council voted unanimously, 5–0, on a series of motions that together set spending priorities and authorized several contract awards. The meeting record shows the council approved the budget ordinance on first reading, adopted an ordinance amending the City Charter to use gender‑neutral language, appointed Deborah Scudair as municipal judge and awarded bids for demolition and the Coburn Creek pedestrian bridge in White Park.

Why this matters: The first‑reading budget establishes the city’s spending framework for fiscal year 2026 and ties into the capital plan and capital escrow program that the council also approved. The city’s finance director told council staff and residents the administration adjusted municipal sales‑tax projections conservatively because the West Virginia tax division is changing how it maps tax zones; city staff estimated a potential 10% decrease tied to that state implementation and reflected a lower municipal sales‑tax figure in the draft budget.

Most important facts

- Fiscal year 2026 general fund revenues are projected at $45,376,480 and the proposed budget was presented as balanced on first reading. John Ferguson, the city finance director, said the city is budgeting conservatively for municipal sales tax after the state’s transition to GIS‑based tax zones and noted the municipal sales tax allocation is governed by a…