MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Morgantown-based small business owner hopes to serve in the Sixth Ward seat on the Morgantown City Council.
Stephanie Hunt is on the campaign trail as she talks to voters about what they hope to see for the city ahead of the Morgantown Municipal Election on April 29. A Morgantown resident for over half a decade who is currently the co-chair of the Greenmont Neighborhood Association, Hunt hopes she can show voters she is a candidate who wants to improve certain aspects of city functions while growing and developing relationships with entities across the city.
“I’ve had conversations with hundreds of Morgantown residents, and I always make it a point to listen to them and get to learn these firsthand experiences they’ve had with the city,” said Hunt. “The troubles, the improvements they see, or what opportunities we’re missing out on,” she said.
One of the priorities for Hunt if she’s elected onto the council is to address economic development in the downtown area. While concerns related to unsheltered individuals and vagrancy-related crimes in parts of downtown weren’t necessarily ignored, the Morgantown small business owner feels that several city-based regulations and red tape have affected the ability for certain businesses to open, which in turn have affected the options for people wishing to shop downtown. While openly supporting a repeal of the citywide camping ban on municipal property, she’s also called for an exploration of incentive and business mandates that could negatively influence any potential economic development.
“All this goes back to an open conversation about what support and what incentives we can give to fill these spaces,” said Hunt. “It’s not just about penalties, we really need to get to the bottom of what is stopping people from renting and opening these businesses, and we as a city can do to help.”
Another priority for Hunt if she’s chosen to represent the Sixth Ward is to find ways to streamline city services while improving department communications in the process. In her conversations on WAJR’s Talk of the Town, the most obvious example that she feels has been more prevalent since she’s been a Morgantown resident has been the needed improvements in relations between city hall and Morgantown first responders, which have resulted in at least two significant lawsuits over back pay and benefits. Using issues with incentives for businesses to open downtown as a jumping-off point, Hunt hopes that she could find ways to make Morgantown services more direct, both towards the public and to city employees, so that issues can be handled immediately before becoming worse.
“I would much rather see our time and money spent on negotiations and collaborations rather than legal fees and court battles,” said Hunt. “But this really highlights a bigger opportunity, not just with our first responders but with how the city is interacting with all of its employees and the community.”
Hunt will face former Main Street Morgantown President Mark Downs for the Sixth Ward Morgantown City Council seat. This will also be the only openly contested race in the 2025 Morgantown Municipal Election, with Jodi Hollingshead running against write-in candidate Jason Reed in the Second Ward (Hollingshead’s name will be the only one appearing on the ballot). With Hunt facing steep competition against a candidate with similar views on everything from unsheltered individuals to improving communication, the Greenmont neighborhood resident hopes voters can view her as one who want the city to grow when they cast their ballot.
“I’m not going to pretend like I have all the answers,” said Hunt. “But I know what questions to ask, I work with others to find real solutions, that’s how I approach my business and my neighborhood, and that’s the kind of collaborative and practical leadership I’m trying to bring to city council.”
Early voting for the Morgantown Municipal Election begins on April 16 at the Historic Train Depot at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park.