MORGANTOWN — In a statement issued late Friday afternoon by the city of Morgantown, Mayor Jenny Selin said city council intends to add guidelines to the city’s contract with City Manager Kim Haws, spelling out its expectations regarding residency.
This after questions arose as to whether Haws actually lives in the city, which is a requirement of Morgantown’s charter, or has remained a resident of Bridgeport as his driver’s license and voter registration suggests.
Haws was hired by Morgantown City Council in November 2020.
According to the city’s charter, the city manager “need not be a resident of the City or State at the time of his appointment but must reside in the City while in office.”
In the statement, which includes comments from both Haws and Selin, Haws maintains that he has an apartment in Morgantown that serves as his primary residence, but concedes that his license and voter registration should reflect that, adding “I have updated those today.”
Selin states that council spoke with the city manager during an executive session as part of Tuesday’s council meeting and that she and Deputy Mayor Danielle Trumble followed up on that discussion.
Selin’s statement never indicates council confirmed Haws has been living in Morgantown.
She is quoted as saying, “We believe the City Manager should fulfill the residency requirement by making Morgantown his primary residence and spending most of his time here, and that should be reflected on his voter’s registration, driver’s license, and any property taxes owed, as well as his involvement with the community. We are confident that City Council agrees with these guidelines, too, and we plan to add these specific guidelines to the City’s contract with the City Manager to make the expectations clear for ourselves and the public.”
