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Clarksburg council passes first readings of multiple charter amendments affecting Water Board rules and term timing
Summary
On June 4, 2026, Clarksburg City Council approved first readings of four related charter amendment ordinances — changing term start dates, altering Water Board vacancy succession, adding Water Board term limits, and enabling a voter-driven recall process — after debates, amendments to require a county-clerk memorandum of understanding, and public comment from the Water Board and residents.
Clarksburg City Council on June 4 voted to advance four related charter amendment ordinances to a second reading, moving amendments to a public hearing stage after first-reading votes.
The ordinances would: change the commencement date for terms of the mayor, city council and Clarksburg Water Board from July 1 to June 1 (item a); alter succession and vacancy-filling procedures for the Water Board to use the highest unsuccessful vote-getter (item b); establish term limits for elected members of the Water Board (item c); and create a voter-driven recall process for Water Board members under West Virginia Code (item d). Council approved each item on first reading "as amended," following motions to require any voter-submission measure to be conditioned on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Harrison County Clerk and, where applicable, to place the referendum on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election or the next regularly scheduled municipal election in May 2028.
Why it matters: Several speakers and a written submission from the Clarksburg Water Board argued the board is an independently elected body under state law and objected to items that would alter internal succession rules or impose term limits without consultation. Speaker 2 (representing the Water Board) told council the board had not been consulted on items 8 b and 8 c and described technical expertise required to govern utility operations. Public commenters and multiple council members said the proposed changes respond to constituent frustration over accountability, infrastructure and the water board's use of bonds and debt.
What council said: Council members debated legal and practical implications. One council member noted that changing the commencement date effectively shortens the upcoming terms by one month. Another member argued aligning term starts with the moved May election "cleans up" an unintended timing effect from a prior charter change. Multiple council members supported conditioning any referendum on an MOU with the county clerk to address election timing and cost.
Water Board position: The Water Board's written comments (read into the record) said the board has exclusive jurisdiction under West Virginia Code and that some proposed amendments overrule existing bylaws and procedures. The board did not object to changing the commencement date (8 a) or recollection language (8 d) but objected to succession changes (8 b) and term limits (8 c).
Votes and next steps: Council approved first readings of the ordinances as amended to include the MOU/special-election language and set the items for a second reading and public hearing. Because these are charter amendments, a successful final council action could carry them to the voters for ratification according to the amended submission language. The second reading and any public hearing were not concluded at this meeting.
Attribution: Quotes and positions above are drawn from remarks and written submissions presented at the June 4 council meeting; all direct attributions map to the meeting's speaker list and transcript.
