An Honest Look at Morgantown’s Handling of Our Unhoused Population

We must pivot away from the past to a future that will focus on the public safety impacts to everyone.

Among people in recovery, there is a common belief that states, “acceptance is the first step to recovery.” Well then, it is time to admit that the approach Morgantown takes with our unhoused population is a problem.

That is not to say community leaders and Morgantown City Council have ignored the problem, because they have not ignored it.

In 2019, after the creation of “Diamond Village”—an encampment along Decker’s Creek in the core of downtown Morgantown—a task force was formed comprised of members of the city council, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), WV Coalition to End Homelessness (WVCEH), WV Health Right, and others to improve the services provided to the unhoused population. Advocacy groups, such as Justice for Diamond Village, were also formed on their behalf. Harm reduction programs were established such as Health Right’s needle exchange. Later, drop boxes for used needles were added, and a sincere effort was made to attempt source housing for those who lived in what was known as Diamond Village. So, it cannot be said that there has been a lack of attention paid to the issue.

Albert Einstein can't be attributed to the quote about the definition of insanity. It is time to pivot our focus and approach. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” This expression, often attributed to Albert Einstein may have, in fact, come from Narcotics Anonymous.

The well-intentioned compassion of city council and community leaders has straddled the line of enabling behavior. Enabling a problem is not a solution; by definition enabling allows a problem to continue, if not worsen it.

This approach does not actually show compassion to the unhoused community or compassion and regard to anyone in our community as a whole. Homeowners in these areas of town have seen their privacy invaded, and the value of their properties (something they have likely spent years paying hard earned money to build equity in) negatively affected. Also disregarded are downtown business owners who have had customers chased away by panhandling for years (and that was before the additional struggles COVID-19 forced upon them). This strategy definitely doesn’t show any regard for children in our community who should be able to use our parks and trails without being accosted, and avoid littered drug paraphernalia, trash, and human waste.

The time has come for Morgantown to pivot our focus beyond just our unhoused population to the public safety impacts to our community as a whole.

Decker's Creek, in downtown Morgantown, was home to Diamond Village, a local encampment of unhoused people.

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Malfeasance

Malfeasance in office is the doing of an act for which there is no authority or warrant of law.

Misfeasance

Misfeasance is the wrongful and injurious exercise of lawful authority — that is, the doing of an act which might lawfully be done, but is done in an improper manner.

Nonfeasance

Nonfeasance is a term used in tort law to describe inaction that allows or results in harm to a person or to property. An act of nonfeasance can result in liability if (1) the actor owed a duty of care toward the injured person, (2) the actor failed to act on that duty, and (3) the failure to act resulted in injury.

While it’s tabled now, City Council may take up its MUB takeover later.

Three City Councilors: Bill Kawecki, Jenny Selin, and Dave Harshbarger were adamant about moving forward to restructure MUB. Shame on them! Ironically, these councilors have two more full years left in their term, which increases the importance of the recall effort to remove them now.

For now, the other four Councilmembers have tabled the issue, but pressure is inevitably being placed on the holdouts, and some, like Deputy Mayor Danielle Trumble, have expressed a desire to move forward.

No MUB customer is safe.

Whether you’re a MUB customer in Morgantown’s city limits or across the Mason-Dixon in Pennsylvania, know this is an attempt by Morgantown City Council to further enact its will upon your property and your life.

Don’t be lulled into complacency thinking the issue will go away. If past history tells us anything, City Council may still try to implement its misguided agenda fueled by obstience.

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