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 2022 ordinance referenced in the presentation.

- The council approved a five‑year Capital Improvement Plan totaling $60,000,000 over five years and the related capital escrow fund budget for FY2026. City finance staff described capital escrow revenue sources as contributions from the general fund, municipal service fee (MSF) capital appropriations, the 25% capital allocation of municipal sales tax and business & occupation construction tax receipts.

- The council approved awarding a demolition contract for five condemned structures; staff said the work will be funded with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and that the low bidder was Safeco. Staff estimated a roughly 60‑day demolition schedule after contract award.

- Council approved a bid award for the Coburn Creek pedestrian bridge in White Park. Staff reported the low bidder was SQP at approximately $1.44 million, near the city’s engineering estimate. The project includes wider midspan decking, concrete abutments and manufactured glulam beams; staff expects fabrication and delivery of beams to be the longest lead item and said construction could take about nine months.

- The council approved a first reading of a zoning ordinance that reclassifies several parcels (tax map 6 parcels cited in the ordinance) to a B2 service business district to facilitate the construction of an Eye Center and parking garage on the W Medicine property. Planning commission recommended approval.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance, second reading: Amend City Charter to use gender‑neutral language — Outcome: adopted, vote 5–0. City attorney Ron Simonson gave a brief summary; ordinance becomes effective on the date stated in the ordinance.

- Resolution appointing Deborah Scudair as municipal judge (with direction to city manager to retain an alternate judge as required by the charter and budget) — Outcome: approved, vote 5–0; Deborah Scudair was sworn in at the meeting.

- Ordinance, first reading: FY2026 general fund and coal severance fund budget — Outcome: approved on first reading, vote 5–0. Total general fund revenues presented as $45,376,480.

- Resolution: Five‑year Capital Improvement Plan (FY2026–2030) — Outcome: approved, vote 5–0. City presented a $60,000,000 five‑year total.

- Resolution: FY2026 capital escrow fund budget — Outcome: approved, vote 5–0. Staff presented capital escrow revenues and expenditures totaling $7,749,759 for the upcoming fiscal year and listed funding sources and allocations.

- Ordinance, first reading: Zoning reclassification (tax map 6 parcels) to B2 service business district for Eye Center/parking garage project — Outcome: approved on first reading, vote 5–0.

- Contract award: Demolition of five condemned structures (addresses listed in project packet) — Outcome: awarded to low bidder (Safeco), funding: CDBG; vote 5–0.

- Contract award: Coburn Creek pedestrian bridge, White Park — Outcome: awarded to low bidder (SQP), low bid approximately $1.44 million, engineering estimate ~$1.38 million; vote 5–0. Staff noted MUB (Morgantown Utilities Board) participation in funding/coordination.

- Resolution: Amend 2025 city council meeting schedule (move March 18 meeting to March 19) — Outcome: approved, vote 5–0.

- Appointments to boards: Chelsea Billmeyer to Civilian Police Review Advisory Board; Lauren Krapiza to Woodburn Commission; Chloe Hernandez to Health and Wellness Committee — Outcome: approved (acclamation or unanimous voice votes).

Discussion and staff direction

City finance staff emphasized the municipal sales‑tax handling process: the state remits a single quarterly ACH payment to the city rather than remitting itemized business lists. Finance staff said the city must notify the state of annexations or boundary changes for accurate tax‑zone mapping and that the state’s change to GIS methods could affect remittances.

Several council members and staff noted that details for capital projects and the capital escrow line items are available online and that more granular questions were already addressed in staff briefings prior to the meeting.

Clarifying details and limits

- The finance presentation referenced “city ordinance 2022‑19 (adopted 11/15/2022),” described as an amendment to a prior ordinance; the city described the municipal sales tax split in four 25% buckets, including a capital escrow allocation and a discretionary bucket for council use.

- Staff said the state’s tax division remits one aggregated municipal sales‑tax ACH deposit per quarter; the city does not receive business‑level remittance listings, so projected impacts from boundary remapping are an estimate and the city will monitor actual remittances and adjust budgets if needed.

What’s next

Approvals that were taken on first reading (notably the FY2026 budget and the zoning changes) will proceed through any required follow‑up steps (second reading, final ordinances) or implementation tasks described in staff reports; capital projects will follow procurement and construction schedules described by department staff.

Ending note

Council convened other routine business at the March 4 meeting, including committee appointments and minor calendar changes; all recorded roll‑call votes on formal motions in the published agenda were unanimous.