Morgantown land‑reuse agency approves $600,000 city budget request, broadens authorized signatories

The City of Morgantown Land Reuse Agency voted to request $600,000 from the city in the upcoming fiscal‑year budget to cover pending acquisition obligations, and the board expanded who may sign and move funds for agency business.

At the meeting the agency’s chair summarized outstanding purchase agreements and said the agency faced a shortfall to close on properties already under contract. The finance director requested an amount for the city manager’s budget planning; board members discussed whether to ask for the specific shortfall ($504,000 as described in staff materials) or a higher, rounded figure to cover contingencies. A motion to request $600,000 from the city budget was made, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Separately, the board voted to authorize additional signatories to make transfers between the agency’s accounts for approved transactions. The agency’s finance staff explained that, historically, only the board officers and city manager were authorized signers and that adding the assistant city manager, finance director and assistant finance director would help avoid administrative delays. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote; the board clarified that the change was intended to apply only to transactions already approved by the board.

Other procedural items: the board elected officers at the start of the meeting by acclamation (a slate of officers was nominated and approved by voice vote) and later moved to adjourn. The minutes approval and a small number of routine motions were handled during the meeting; detailed roll‑call tallies were not recorded in the public discussion for the budget or signatures votes.

Ending: Board members asked staff to provide early budget figures to the city finance director and to follow up on bank paperwork so administrative transfers could proceed on approved items.