MORGANTOWN – Morgantown City Council 7th Ward representative Brian Butcher announced Tuesday evening that he intends to vacate his council seat in the coming weeks.
“I just have an announcement to make. I, as of today, put in an offer on a new home. It is outside my ward. And so, as of the time of the closing, I will be resigning from council,” he said. “So, that’ll be a good month, I would say is what that takes. I want to let council know, and, obviously, people are going to see my house listed.”
Butcher was first elected to a two-year term on city council in 2021, which was the transition election from two-year to four-year council terms. He was reelected to a four-year term in 2023. His seat goes back before the city’s voters on April 27 alongside the 1st, 3rd and 5th ward seats. The current term for each ends June 30, 2027.
“I won’t get too sentimental now. I will later. But it has been the privilege of a lifetime to be able to serve the city. I love this city. I am confident that it is in some amazing, capable hands right now,” Butcher said.
According to Butcher, his move will keep him in the city, though he preferred not to say which ward he’s moving into. He said he will not be running for city council in that ward.
Per the city charter, there are two options for filling a council vacancy. The body can accept applications, conduct interviews and appoint a registered voter from the affected ward within 30 days of the vacancy, or the opening will be the subject of a special election to be held no sooner than 90 days and no later than 120 days from the time of the vacancy.
There’s actually two fairly recent examples of Morgantown City Council using the appointment process to fill vacant seats.
In March 2021, the body interviewed three applicants before selecting Deborah Bergen to serve the last three months or so of former 3rd Ward Councilor Zack Cruze’s term.
A little over four months later, the council held a special meeting to appoint a 1st Ward representative. Patrick Hathaway had won the seat in the April 2021 election but notified the city days later he would not be able to serve. Of the five candidates interviewed, current 1st Ward Councilor Joe Abu-Ghannam was selected.
Morgantown Mayor Danielle Trumble said she will work with the city’s legal counsel to begin planning council’s process for filling the opening.
In terms of Butcher’s forthcoming departure, Trumble noted both arrived on council in 2021. She also conceded, “We have had a hot and cold relationship over the years.”
“But I think over the last several, we really started working well together. I’ll certainly be sad to see you go. Even when I didn’t always agree with you, I always appreciated your approach to the position,” Trumble said. “So, yeah, it’ll be a loss for the city.”
