MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Amid regular council business Tuesday, Morgantown’s city hall was the site of some frank discussion and polarizing opinions regarding the petition to remove 4 city council members from office.
A three-judge panel is scheduled to reconvene in Monongalia County January 22 for testimony regarding accusations of misconduct, malfeasance in office, incompetence and neglect of duty against Mayor Marti Shamberger, Deputy Mayor Bill Kawecki, and councilwomen Nancy Ganz and Jenny Selin.
A number of supporters of the four, along with some naysayers, prompted responses from council members during their individual reports at the regular council meeting.
Wes Nugent, who signed the position supporting the request for circuit court hearings, said, “My desire is that several key issues be fully heard by the court because of their importance to Morgantown’s charter as well as municipalities across West Virginia. Morgantown’s charter defines just a few expressly prohibited actions at the crux of this case.”
The roots of the complaints can be traced back to council’s decision in 2014 to ignore the Ward and Boundary Commission’s recommendations for adjusting ward boundary lines within the city. The non-partisan commission’s proposal would have combined the fourth and seventh wards. That would have forced Selin and Ganz to run against each other in the upcoming municipal election.
Council instead developed and approved its own proposal that kept Selin and Ganz in separate wards. Ganz, Selin, Kawecki and Shamberger all voted in favor of the new proposal while Wes Nugent, Ron Bane and former councilman Mike Fike opposed it.
The petition for removal, filed by former council candidate and Morgantown businessman George Papandreas, reads “Such action evidences that they will willingly disregard clear charter requirements and adopt a re-districting plan that runs counter to the charter but serves their own personal political vanity.”
Selin, mayor at the time of the ward and boundaries vote, maintains council, by Section 7.05 of the city charter, is charged with the final decision on ward boundary adjustments and denies any wrongdoing.
“There’s nothing that would prevent a council person from voting on a ward and boundary issue because there’s nothing that affects that councilor until the next election,” Selin said. “So, there’s no personal gain.”
Jay Redmond, the only new council member from the last election, also signed the petition requesting a court review of accusations against his now-colleagues.
“The removal action is the only vehicle that is available other than self policing by the council which was not done,” Redmond said. “So, the removal action is the vehicle to air the concerns regarding the violations of the charter and that is why I signed it.”
Also commenting on the petition, Councilwoman Nancy Ganz said it will come to no fruition.
“I just want to let everyone know out there when this is resolved, I’m going to continue to work with the City of Morgantown staff, employees, managers, police chief, fire chief, WVU and everyone else to make our city a place where I’m proud to sit in this leather chair,” Ganz said during her council report at last night’s meeting.
You can hear more comments from the council members in this story on Morgantown AM, WAJR 1440, Wednesday morning beginning at 9:10.