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MORGANTOWN - "Honestly, my only thought was I love my neighborhood, and I want to represent it."
Gail Taylor, who was appointed to Morgantown City Council's vacant 7th Ward seat Tuesday evening in a 5-0 vote, said she didn't have immediate plans to enter the world of local politics, but was nonetheless intrigued by the opportunity to join the city’s policy-making body.
Brian Butcher, who represented the city's 7th Ward since July 1, 2021, announced in July that he was stepping down Aug. 31. Per the city's charter, council has 30 days to fill the opening before a special election is triggered.
Taylor was one of five individuals to express interest in the opening; one of three contacted for a meeting with council; and the only candidate to sit for a second interview.
"My first instinct when I learned that Brian Butcher was stepping off of council was the timing is right. This area has had so many great leaders. For example, [Former 7th Ward Councilor] Barry Wendell is somebody I see walking in the neighborhood. I just felt like the timing is right and that I would love to contribute. I would love to be a part of a collaborative, deliberative body. I'd love to be able to tackle questions that relate to economics and economic growth, culture and the arts," Taylor told The Dominion Post Tuesday morning.
That said, Taylor explained her desire to get involved isn't necessarily a guarantee that she'll be seeking the role long-term when the seat comes up for election in April.
She wants to get the lay of the land before she makes that decision.
"I had not thought about running for office for a four-year term. All I can tell you is that when I do my daily errands; when I'm moving about the city; when I'm in the grocery store, I get a lot of encouragement. I get a lot of positive feedback from the great people who are trying to make ends meet and put food on the table. So, we'll see. If I feel like I could contribute, I'd be interested. But I still have to look at the logistics."
A self-described "university brat," her parents' educational pursuits - and later her own - took Taylor to stops all over the country. She arrived in Morgantown as a pre-teen. Her father, George Taylor, would become vice president for student affairs at WVU.
"When I say I was a university brat, I remember walking from Morgantown High School to the WVU campus and hanging out at E. Moore Hall; hanging out at the Mountainlair," Taylor said. "I can remember watching U92 being built. To this day, I'm a volunteer DJ. I have a punk show on Friday nights."
While Taylor would go on to earn graduate degrees in English and cultural studies, she was equally educated on the experiences of her parents and grandparents.
"I'm the granddaughter of a coal miner and a seamstress, and a teacher and a railroad foreman and rancher. My grandparents have ties to the south. I understand the extraction economy. I understand also the importance of independent cottage industry and the power of education, because I've been around it all my life," Taylor said. "One of my grandmothers helped prepare people to take the test that used to be given to people in the Jim Crow era in order to vote. So, I grew up hearing that story, and it motivated me to get involved in civic service."
Taylor said she initially took a professional interest in local government while working as a reporter.
When she traveled to Los Angeles as part of her doctoral studies, Taylor said she began to pay close attention to the discussions about homelessness taking place there.
"I specifically became aware of this particular council when it came to the issue of the camping ban. Because when I lived in L.A., I saw the homeless population up close, and it was a regular part of my conversations. So, when they say all politics is local, all politics really is local, because from a big city like L.A., you can come home to a smaller city and see the same thing. I was alarmed when I arrived in 2015 from my sojourn and started to follow city council. I began to be interested in why. Why do we have so many people sleeping unhoused?"
In a document outlining her platform as a council representative, Taylor emphasizes her support for enhanced social services, investment in historical preservation and increased city support for facilities and programs aimed at assisting people in need.
"We welcome people, but we need to have more welcoming spaces. We need to have a city community center," she said, explaining that she believes city council can work with public and private entities, philanthropists, educators and community organizers to create community resources.
By supporting and encouraging home-based businesses, and creating resources, like a community kitchen, for example, Taylor said she believes the city can help provide individuals the means to improve their lives.
"I'm not just an academic, even though I am an independent academic researcher, I'm also a worker. I have my food service license. I got one in California, and I have one here from the Mon Health Department. That's an excellent program. I want every person to be aware that we have those programs here," she said. "I have a lot to say about my experiences working 9-to-5 in this town. I know what it's like to live on those wages and then have to pay real bills. You cannot do it. That's a shame. I think city council can make some interventions and some partnerships happen. I'm pro industry. I'm also very much pro cottage industry."
In the short term, Taylor said she wants to help Morgantown City Council come together around a short list of priorities.
"Being a part of a deliberative body, my goal is bringing consensus. Trying to bring consensus is so important. And when you have a town like Morgantown, where you've got a lot of moving parts, I think it helps to have seven people who can get on the same page with maybe three priorities," she said. "So, I want to see how everybody gets along. How people work together is important to me. And if I have something to contribute, I'll know it. Then I'll see about a four-year commitment.”