Morgantown council adopts hospital MOU, airport lease, industrial-waste change and budget revisions; appointments approved

Morgantown City Council on Feb. 18 approved several second-reading ordinances and budget amendments, unanimously adopting measures that authorize a memorandum of understanding for a WVU Hospitals project, a long-term airport lease, a lower industrial-waste arsenic limit consistent with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection permit, and two budget revisions that fund library insurance needs and capital projects.

Key results

- Ordinance authorizing a memorandum of understanding among the City Building Commission and WVU Hospitals, Inc. — passed on second reading, adoption vote recorded as unanimous (7–0). The ordinance authorizes a transaction to facilitate construction of a new WVU Hospitals Eye Institute on Van Voorhis Road and relocates an access road to maintain access to the city’s north-side fire station. City attorney explained the ordinance will permit the property and access changes required for the hospital project.

- Ordinance authorizing a long-term commercial lease and operating agreement with Shaft Drillers International at the Morgantown Municipal Airport — passed on second reading, adoption vote unanimous (7–0). Council approved a lease reported as a 25-year term with optional renewal up to 40 years; the property will revert to the city at lease end per terms discussed.

- Ordinance amending Article 9-23 (Industrial Waste) to lower the allowable arsenic limit — passed on second reading, adoption vote unanimous (7–0). City staff said the change aligns the municipal code with the city’s NPDES permit from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection; utility staff said Morgantown’s current discharges are already well below the new limit.

- Resolution approving General Fund budget revision No. 5 — passed unanimously (7–0). Finance director John Ferguson described this revision as corrective funding to help the Morgantown Public Library after an invoicing error was discovered in the city’s self-funded health-insurance billing; the council approved a budget revision so the library would not be strained for the remainder of its fiscal year. (Amount not specified during the presentation.)

- Resolution approving Capital Escrow Fund budget revision No. 5 — passed unanimously (7–0). The capital revision funds multiple projects including a $3,250,000 city garage improvement project (office addition, stormwater upgrades, electrical/mechanical/plumbing/HVAC and roof/siding), a reimbursement of $96,000 tied to stormwater work related to riverfront improvements, and $1,287,000 in contributions from the building commission fund (unspent portion of a 2022 lease revenue bond) moved into the capital fund to cover pay apps. The revision also recognizes $100,000 in newly realized grants for the MET Theatre lighting project (two $50,000 grants) and transfers roughly $18,000 of realized interest income to airport marketing for the new SkyWest air service.

Appointments and public hearings

Council appointed a slate of board and commission members by acclamation. Notable appointments recorded in the meeting included Jaden Emerick (Sister City Commission), Sai Fung Vang (Sister City Commission), Rebecca Call (Health & Wellness Committee), Stephanie Hunt (Transit Authority Board of Directors), Matthew Misspelt (regular member, Board of Zoning Appeals), Gabe DeWitt (reappointment to BZA), Tony Antonini (Cultural Arts Commission reappointment), Andrew White and Joshua Williamson (Cultural Arts Commission). Council also opened and closed public hearings on a commercial lease at the airport and on revisions to Article 9-23 and the WVU Hospitals MOU; no substantive testimony changed council’s actions.

Why this matters: the MOU clears a property-and-access step needed for a WVU Hospitals construction project adjacent to city facilities; the airport lease is a long-term land use decision; lowering the arsenic limit implements DEP permit conditions; and the budget revisions shift funds to cover corrected health-insurance invoicing, capital projects and modest marketing support tied to new air service.

Council votes were recorded as unanimous for the ordinances and budget measures presented. City staff said they will continue to publish monthly project financials and pass updates where appropriate.