MORGANTOWN — There’s always another project. There’s always another issue.
For Morgantown City Council mainstay Jenny Selin, seeing these matters through to completion is a big part of what keeps her coming back.
Selin, whose tenure representing the 4th Ward began in 2007, is running unopposed on the city’s April ballot, just as she did in 2021.
When the next iteration of council is convened for the first time in July, Selin, 64, will have more time on council than her six colleagues combined, by a full four-year term.
“What made me want to come back is the projects that I’d like to see completed and wanting to kind of maintain our can-do attitude on council,” she said. “I have always run on a platform of moving our city relentlessly forward … and making sure that the things that we say we’re going to do, we follow through on.”
She runs through a long list of projects, initiatives and interests that fit the description – from the ongoing runway extension and commerce park work, to the long list of BOPARC upgrades underway and on the horizon, to forthcoming planning efforts focusing on issues like affordable housing, the future of the city’s business and entertainment districts, trails, sidewalks, green space, the arts, and even the traditionally cool — but improving — relationship between the city and the West Virginia Division of Highways.
“There’s a lot going on and there’s always more we could do,” Selin said. “I’ve always appreciated the scope of city government and I appreciate the opportunity to work with all these projects.”
Asked about what she foresees as a pivotal issue going forward, Selin said the city has to find a balance between assisting those in need without alienating the rest of the community.
“I think council is really going to have to balance — and that’s my word for it, I’m one of seven and I realize that — but I think we’re going to have to balance how we handle our homeless population and the need for drug rehabilitation, the need for mental health services, the need for housing, and then also the need to be able to conduct business in our downtown and have families feel comfortable there and students and their families be comfortable there, because if we get that out of balance, then we end up with people promoting for one side or the other when I think pretty much everybody on all sides would like to see a downtown that’s productive and comfortable and services for people who need them.”
Further, Selin said the city needs to be ready to navigate what appears to be a push at the state and federal level to pre-empt local decision making.
“We see our constituents every day. When I go to the grocery store, I see my constituents. If we make a decision and people don’t like it, they let you know. When you can work with the people in your immediate area, you can really make a great benefit. It’s cities that provide direct services and the regulation of direct services. We’re sort of like the boots on the ground, so I don’t understand the need to weaken cities because that’s where people congregate. That’s where development occurs. It’s where the jobs are. It’s where the services are,” Selin said. “I would think that anything the state or national government could do to encourage cities and help maintain cities – or sometimes even just get out of the way – so that we can have some individuality and ability to tailor what we do for the people that live here.”
After Selin, Bill Kawecki (2nd Ward) and Dave Harshbarger (6th Ward) are council’s longest serving members at 12 and six years, respectively. Neither are seeking reelection.
Further, the election comes as the city prepares to name a new city manager — the sixth in Selin’s tenure.
“I think it’s useful to have someone on council who’s dealt with the issues over a period of time and who’s worked with different city managers. I also think it’s neat to have a lot of newer, younger members as well who are excited and who are ready to go. I think it’s good in any organization to have a bit of both,” she said. “I like the role of having been around for a while, but I also like the role of finding what the next new project or idea is.”
