Proposed Charter Change in Morgantown Does Not Make Sense

Given what’s been witnessed locally in Morgantown government in recent years, ask yourself whether you want more or less accountability.

Morgantown citizens face an important election on April 27. Voters will cast ballots on a referendum to change council members’ term of office.

Presently, all seven city council members are elected every two years. If changed, those two-year concurrent terms will become four-year staggered terms.

Voters’ ability to hold all legislators accountable will be reduced by staggered four-year terms. Taxpayers’ money won’t be saved because elections will still be held every two years. Most critically at risk is civic interest and voter participation. If split and staggered, there’s strong evidence to hypothesize Morgantown’s paltry average voter turnout, which has averaged around 11% in recent years, will become a shadow of its former self.

Given what’s been witnessed locally in government in recent years, ask yourself whether you want more or less accountability.

Council advanced a half-baked plan to buy out Haymaker Village and made a half-assed annexation effort rather than pursue a responsible process.

A beautiful riverfront park, once welcoming, now feels more like a forbidden city: opulent and off limits, its beauty guarded from the public. Along the way, city council allowed goodwill to be trampled by enabling an administration that cast aside a donors’ contribution of cherry trees. Insult to injury was added when city council allowed administration to build on private land and attempt a property taking under eminent domain.

Supporters say the proposed charter change offers stability. Council could have sought changes that would have led to stability while preserving accountability and improving efficiency and participation.

Unfortunately, the hidden costs of what’s been presented outweigh any benefits, and this remedy is worse than the cure. On Tuesday, April 27, vote “No” to Morgantown’s proposed charter change.