MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown City Council will consider the appointment of an acting city manager and an increase in fire fees Tuesday.
After notifying the city council he would retire in September, City Manager Kim Haws set his final day of work as December 20, 2024. Since Assistant City Manager Emily Muzzarelli is preparing to take leave, meeting documents said Director of Engineering and Public Works Damien Davis will serve as the interim.
The proposed 15 percent fire fee increase would be the first increase since 2020. The proposal said the city has maintained the 2020 rates by making additional allocations from the general fund to operate the fire department.
The increase would equal an additional $1.41 charge per square foot or a total of $25.38 extra for a 1,800 square foot home.
The ordinance reads: This fee increase will allow the city to make the additional contributions necessary to elect the Optional-II funding method for firefighter pensions pursuant to W. Va. Code § 8-22-20(g) and ensure those pension obligations are fully funded by July 1, 2063.
Councilors will also consider the first reading of an ordinance that would close the current police and fire pensions to new hires and direct them to the West Virginia Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement system.
The city and first responders have been reviewing options to address an unfunded pension amount of about $118 million between both pension funds.