MORGANTOWN — Morgantown City Council opened its regular Tuesday meeting with a moment of silence for those impacted by COVID-19.
Included in that number is Morgantown City Manager Kim Haws.
Haws tested positive early last week and has been working remotely while under quarantine according to Communications Director Andrew Stacy.
Haws told members of council that he’s feeling better outside of fatigue and flu-like symptoms.
“I’ve been very fortunate,” he said.
As for business, City Clerk Christine Wade touched on a handful of election items during her regular report.
Wade explained that, just like in November, anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable voting in person can vote absentee for the city’s April 27 municipal election.
“The same rules for the election that we had in November for absentees are in effect now,” Wade said. “So anyone who needs an absentee ballot, reach out to us and we’ll be sure to send that to them and help them fill it out completely with the appropriate information.”
Absentee ballots must be back to the clerk’s office on or before April 21.
Wade also noted the city is still in need of poll workers for its nine polling locations.
An application for the position, which pays $50 for a one-time training session and $150 for Election Day, can be submitted through the city’s website at morgantownwv.gov/elections. You can also contact the clerk’s office at 304-284-7434.
Lastly, Wade said there are now candidates filed in six of the seven city wards. The 3rd Ward is the lone exception.
Candidates filed so far include Patrick Hathaway (1st Ward); Bill Kawecki (2nd); Jenny Selin (4th); Tony Setley, Danielle Trumble, Marly Ynigues, Zach LeMaire (5th); Dave Harshbarger (6th); Ben Mayle, Brian Butcher (7th).
Candidate packets can be picked up at the clerk’s office and are available at the city’s website. Nominating petitions are also available at the city’s website. Residents can print the petition form, fill it out and send it to the candidate from their ward who they are nominating.
Candidates have until Feb. 8 to have all the required forms back to the clerk’s office.
Also on Tuesday, Deputy Mayor Rachel Fetty said a special committee working on an ordinance pertaining to the establishment of a community policing body has completed its review of the proposed ordinance.
The committee has spent months working through the document section by section, spelling out the exact functions of a nine-person board tasked with hearing and potentially investigating claims of misconduct against officers of the Morgantown Police Department.
The body will not have the authority to discipline officers, but will offer recommendations to the department.
Fetty said the ordinance will initially be brought to council for presentation but not official action.
“The purpose of bringing it forward in that way will be to allow us to send it to the [attorney general’s] office and begin opening up the topic for conversation,” she said.
Lastly, council approved a $69,400 bid for a compact track loader and various attachments from Jefferds Corporation for the Morgantown Municipal Airport.
